Wallonia is thinking of authorising temporary slaughterhouses as a feasible option during periods when traditional facilities cannot keep up with demand, Regional Vice-President Pierre-Yves Jeholet said on Monday at the Parliamentary Commission on Animal Welfare.
This option would be part of an eventual ban on home slaughter, according to the Vice President. He was representing Minister-President Adrien Dolimont, who is on a mission to Japan this week.
Last February, Dolimont announced plans for a decree banning at-home slaughter of pigs, goats, and sheep, similar to existing rules for cattle and horses.
“Animal welfare rules are difficult to enforce and monitor during home slaughter. By banning it for non-professionals, we aim to simplify current administrative procedures and ensure more effective controls, inspired by practices in other regions, notably Flanders,” Jeholet said in response to a question from Loris Resinelli, a legislator from Les Engagés party.
“Adequate slaughter infrastructure exists with the involvement of food safety and animal welfare inspectors, ” Jeholet noted, “and temporary authorised slaughterhouses are a viable option when existing facilities cannot meet public demand.”
The Walloon Vice President stressed the importance of public health safety and food chain security, noting that these are ensured in proper facilities, unlike home slaughter scenarios.
He also said there were no plans to change conditions or exemptions for professional slaughterhouses.
The farm slaughter research project, launched under the previous government in collaboration with the University of Liège’s veterinary clinic, has entered a pilot phase with a mobile slaughter unit. ULiège recently received a €200,000 grant to expedite the study’s conclusions, Jeholet added.
