Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 1990/1240 |
| Year | 1990 |
1990 No. 1240 (S. 137)
ANIMALSPREVENTION OF CRUELTY
The Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990
Made 13th June 1990
Laid before Parliament 14th June 1990
Coming into force 5th July 1990
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 9, 10 and 16 of the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 19801and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf and after consultation in accordance with section 10(2) of the said Act with such organisations as appear to him to represent the interests concerned, hereby makes the following Regulations:
PART I
INTRODUCTORY
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990, and shall come into force on 5th July 1990.
Interpretation
2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–
“the Act” means the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980;
“animal” means any description of cattle, sheep, goat, swine or horse (including asses, ponies, hinnies or mules);
“bovine” means a bull, ox, bullock, cow, heifer or steer or a calf which is too large to be restrained on a cradle or table, and for the purposes of regulations 5, 9, 14 and 24 of these Regulations includes all calves;
“casting pen” means a rotary pen capable of casting animals for slaughter;
“contravention” in relation to any provision of these Regulations includes a failure to comply with that provision and “contravene” shall be construed accordingly;
“knacker’s yard” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is not intended for human consumption; and “knacker” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;
“lairage” means any premises or yard used for the confinement of animals awaiting slaughter forming part of or used in connection with a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and, for the purposes of regulations 3 and 5 of these Regulations, includes a field so used;
“local authority” means an islands or district council;
“mechanically-operated instrument”, except for the purposes of regulations 14(b) and 16(1)(b), includes an instrument for stunning by means of electricity;
“occupier” means–
(a) in relation to a slaughterhouse provided by a local authority, that local authority;
(b) in relation to any premises used as a slaughterhouse, the person registered in respect of the premises for that purpose under section 4 of the Act, and
(c) in relation to premises used as a knacker’s yard, the person holding a licence in respect thereof under section 6 of the Act;
“restraining pen” means a pen or compartment which is–
(a) suitable for restraining in an upright position a bovine while it is being slaughtered by the Jewish or Muslim method;
(b) constructed so as to confine one such animal at a time, without discomfort, and so as to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways once it has been placed in position for slaughter; and
(c) the subject of an approval by the Secretary of State under regulation 20 of these Regulations;
“slaughterhall” means that part of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard in which the actual slaughtering of any animal or the dressing of any carcase is carried out;
“slaughterhouse” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is intended for sale for human consumption; and “slaughterman” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;
“sticking” means the severance of the major blood vessels in the neck or immediately anterior to the heart by means of a knife and “stuck” shall be construed accordingly;
“stunning pen” means a pen or compartment which is suitable for confining a bovine while it is being stunned and which is so constructed as to confine, without discomfort, only one such animal at a time and to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways;
“vehicle” means any vehicle (including a trailer of any description) constructed or adapted for use on a road.
(2) Any provision of these Regulations which applies to an animal awaiting slaughter applies until the animal is dead.
(3) Any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation shall be construed as a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these Regulations.
PART II
CONSTRUCTION, LAYOUT AND EQUIPMENT OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES, KNACKERS YARDS AND LAIRAGES
Construction, layout and equipment of slaughterhouses, knackers' yards and lairages
3.—(1) The occupier shall ensure that a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard or lairage is constructed and maintained so as to prevent any injury being caused to any animals confined therein, and that there are no sharp edges or protrusions therein with which such animals may come into contact.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) above, it shall be the duty of the occupier of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard to ensure–
(a)
(a) that where animals are held prior to slaughter lairage is provided which is–
(i) suitable for its purpose and adequate in size and construction for the number and kind of animals confined therein;
(ii) constructed so as to provide shelter from the sun and from adverse weather for all animals confined therein;
(iii) kept clean and in good repair;
(iv) properly drained and constructed so as to enable the floor to be easily cleaned;
(v) provided with drinking facilities, racks, mangers or other equipment adequate in number and size for the watering and feeding of all animals confined in the lairage, fixed where practicable, and so constructed and placed that they are easily accessible to all the animals, can readily be filled and cannot readily be fouled;
(vi) adequately ventilated and adequately lighted for the proper conduct of all operations carried on there;
(b)
(b) that any field which is used in connection with the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and in which any animal awaiting slaughter is confined contains adequate drinking facilities for such animal;
(c)
(c) that the surface of any part of the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard over which any animal awaiting slaughter has to pass is constructed and kept so as to minimise the risk of the animal slipping thereon and in particular that such surface is sanded in frosty weather;
(d)
(d) that the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard is constructed so as to ensure that the blood of a slaughtered animal does not flow from the slaughterhall into the lairage;
(e)
(e) that offal or refuse is not deposited in the lairage; and
(f)
(f) that the place of slaughter is sited in such a way as to minimise handling of the animal at any time up to the point of slaughter.
Unloading of animals
4.—(1) No person shall conduct the unloading of animals in such a way as to cause injury or unnecessary pain or distress to such animals.
(2) Where, at any time after the coming into force of these Regulations, any premises are constructed or adapted for use as a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard it shall be the duty of the occupier to ensure that facilities are provided there for the purpose of unloading animals out of vehicles directly into a lairage which consist of fixed ramp or other facilities which are of a height and design suitable for that purpose; and it shall be the duty of the occupier to ensure that any fixed ramp or other facilities which are so provided are fitted with side railings or some other means of protection designed and constructed so as to prevent animals from falling off them.
PART III
CONDITIONS TO BE OBSERVED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONFINEMENT AND TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AWAITING SLAUGHTER
Humane handling of animals
5.—(1) No person shall cause unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress to any animal awaiting slaughter in a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard or lairage or permit any such pain or distress of which he knows or may reasonably be expected to know.
(2) In particular, no person shall–
(a)
(a) lift or drag any animal up to the place of slaughter by the head, feet, tail or other part of the body, or any sheep by the fleece, in such a manner as would cause the animal unnecessary pain or distress;
(b)
(b) cause any injury or unnecessary pain or distress to the animal by hitting it or prodding it with any instrument or other object;
(c)
(c) use any instrument which is capable of inflicting an electric shock to control any animal, unless such instrument is being used on the hindquarters of any bovine or adult pig which refuses to move forward and has space to do so.
Provision of water and food
6. Any person having for the time being the care of any animal in a lairage shall ensure–
(a) that a sufficient supply of wholesome water is provided for the animal on arrival at the lairage and at all times thereafter; and
(b) that a sufficient quantity of wholesome food is provided for the animal on arrival at the lairage and twice daily thereafter, except that no animal need be fed within twelve hours of the time at which it is slaughtered.
Space standards and bedding
7.—(1) Any person having for the time being in a lairage the care of any animal shall ensure that–
(a)
(a) the animal is provided with sufficient space to stand up, lie down and turn around and has ready access to the food and water provided for it; and
(b)
(b) in the case of an animal which is not to be slaughtered on the day on which it arrives at the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard, the animal is provided with suitable and sufficient bedding.
(2) The provisions of...
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