Video evidence in the slaughterhouse – “The animals are treated in a gentle”The Council of States decides today on mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses. The industry is, however, meat processors set part already on it. Stefan Häne2 slaughtered Kommentare2Frisch: A butcher carries a pig’s head.Photo: Gaëtan Bally (Keystone)

animals on the farm, is from 1. July is officially allowed. The decision by the Federal Council last week, like, the same comes for Mischa Hofer a start: The 42-Year-old from the Bernese Lützelflüh, with its company farms and meat marketers, to kill cattle, hogs, and goats and sheep directly on-site. “In a familiar environment and without the Transport and the slaughterhouse of stress,” says Hofer.

each of the slaughter is filmed, the ear tag number of the animal to ensure traceability. “We offer to the consumers total transparency,” says Hofer. He is convinced that the video surveillance sensitising the employees and farmers: “The animals are treated more gentle.”

Hofer, therefore, supports a proposal from Daniel Jositsch (SP), on Wednesday, the Council of States decides. New in all slaughterhouses video will need to run cameras. Under current law, the slaughterhouse operators appoint a Person who is responsible for oversight, accompanied by random Inspections by official veterinarians. Unlike this Form of self-control video shots were a “reliable and objective law enforcement is the basis for the official veterinarians”, so Jositsch.

report of the waistband covers any defect in

The SP-politician wants to alleviate this with the use of video cameras, the “immense Suffering” of the animals. As a report by the Confederation has shown the beginning of the year, can be a part of the operator of the Slaughterhouse, the animals suffer needlessly. The checkers took the 67 firms under the microscope, so 10 percent of the industry. The majority of the surveyed smaller enterprises and almost half of the large farms on the meadows in the area of animal protection deficits, particularly in the stunning, killing and Bleeding.

The Swiss meat Association Jositschs rejects the claim. He was afraid of provoking a high level of investment, and an undue burden, particularly with a view to the employees. Critics speak of a climate of distrust that is created. Jositsch want a true, however, the employees ‘ personality rights and data protection law by only the competent authorities can review the video material and this limited time should be kept.

“in the medium-sized and smaller battle official veterinarians are much too rare, to see problems.”

Cesare Sciarra, Swiss animal protection,

Also, the Federal Council recommends that the proposal to rejection. The Federal food safety and veterinary office (FVO) works to its own information, according to improve the Situation. In particular, it had asked the competent cantonal authorities in the Establishments concerned with immediate measures to be taken by an animal protection-compliant Situation.

these improvements, applies Cesare Sciarra, from the Swiss animal protection (STS), you can see “not much”. “Just in the middle and smaller battle official veterinarians are much too rare, to see problems.” The video documentation could therefore be an important starting point for improvements.

Micarna and Bell put on cameras

the industry-actors, the now Video, belongs to the meat Vera beiter Micarna. In Courtepin, FR, a camera monitors the slaughter process. The have, on the one hand the advantage that an abnormal behavior of animals can be detected, says a spokesman. “On the other hand, these records allow a glimpse of the stunning and slaughter process – for example, inspectors of the Swiss animal protection retroactively to the actual inspection visit.”

Micarna stresses, the Instrument for the Welfare of the animals – not to Monitor the employees. How many incidents have become, thanks to the camera transparent, and Micarna does not comment. Also unanswered is the company leaves the question of what happens to offending employees.

the meat processor Bell, using also cameras, it is not directly. The images he uses to its own information, according to, among other things, for internal training. “For a good battle practice video recordings are not, however, play the main role,” says a spokesman. Important a well-trained workforce, optimal processes, and properly-functioning control mechanisms are rather.

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