The Gaia organization for the protection of animals stated Tuesday that it will file a complaint before Unia regarding the legal exception which allows only Muslims and Jews to benefit from penal immunity for slaughtering animals without stunning them. Gaia considers this exception to be “unjustified discrimination towards persons who do not practice the Muslim or Jewish faith, legally obliging them to stun animals before slaughtering them”.
“We of course do not wish for everyone to be able to butcher without stunning, which would in any case be illegal under European legislation,” stated Gaia. “Slaughtering without stunning is a source of great suffering. The idea is to expose the ridiculousness of this exception.”
“This case is going around in circles with no progress. Gaia continues to support obligatory stunning for everyone, at any time,” stated the animal defence organization.
With this complaint, Gaia requests the support of Unia for encouraging policies to end animal suffering which is “useless and avoidable for tens of thousands of animals butchered without stunning.”
Gaia will give a media briefing on the subject Wednesday at 11:00 a.m..
(Source: Belga)
