Shechita UK “deeply insulted” by RSPCA’s call for labelling of meat
Jewish community leaders have protested to the RSPCA over a call for the compulsory labelling of meat from animals that were not pre-stunned, claiming religious communities had been “singled out” by the charity.
Shechita UK said the focus placed on faith groups in a statement issued last week by the prominent animal welfare organisation was “deeply insulting”.
“We agree that all meat should be labelled with clear information on method of slaughter,” said Shechita UK’s Shimon Cohen. “What we cannot support – indeed what we find deeply insulting – is the suggestion that religious communities should be singled out for labelling.”
The advocacy group said methods of mechanical stunning – which would not be labelled under the RSPCA proposal – included captive bolt shooting, gassing, electrocution, drowning, trapping and clubbing.
“It seems incongruous to us to presuppose that consumers should have a right to know that their meat has been slaughtered by religious methods but not by mechanical methods,” said Cohen. “The RSPCA’s press release claims it ‘recognises religious beliefs and practices which should be respected’. In our view, they have again failed in this regard and we will be contacting them to say as much.”
The response comes after the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals called on its supporters to contact their local European politicians, or MEPs, urging them to support the labelling initiative.
With the consumption of certain parts of the animals’ hindquarters forbidden under Jewish law, some estimates suggest that less than half the meat from animals slaughtered through shechita is sold in kosher shops. Some of the meat is therefore sold to the wider public but is not labelled as being from animals that have been slaughtered without pre-stunning.
“Method of slaughter labelling will provide consumers with clearer information about how animals are treated at the end of their life,” said Dr Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA’s farm animal science department.
“We would rather see all animals pre-stunned before they are killed, however we believe labelling that clearly differentiates between animals that have been stunned or non pre-stunned is still a step in the right direction,” she added.
The call for specific labelling from the RSPCA comes at a time when European Jewish groups are battling a continent-wide attack against shechita, which has already seen religious slaughter outlawed in Poland. But there is fears over a push for labelling on the continent.
Cohen said: “Our challenge across Europe now – as campaigners call for labelling of ‘non-stunned’ meat – is to make it as clear as possible that shechita incorporates an integral stun, which conforms to the EU legal definition of stunning and is no less effective or humane than mechanical methods – therefore any proposed labelling system must reflect that.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
