Do we have to be barbaric? Could we please go with the method that involves the quickest and least painful way of slaughtering the animals?

I know that money dictates, and probably in this case - greed will win out. Those that have the money to spend will dictate their terms no matter what we say. But we can at least try to voice our concern over the methods used.

I'm with PALE&IF and the RSPCA on this one.

C J Morgan,

Exporting live animals to Muslim countries only shifts the animal welfare concerns offshore. Logical argument has to disagree with that proposition. I am all for logical argument.

David

*Do we have to be barbaric? Could we please go with the method that involves the quickest and least painful way of slaughtering the animals?*

Foxy, surprisingly enough the science is not at all clear on this
one. Its really a neuroscience question, but so far I have seen
no clear evidence of them providing the answers.

Forget the religious arguments for once, around Australia plenty
of people cut sheeps throats every day, for their own meat or
for animal welfare reasons, to put them down.

Its my understanding that we faint when blood pressure drops.
If we stand up in a hurry, we can feel faint as blood flows to the
legs etc. If the heart stops, blood pressure drops, we collapse
like a stone.

When we faint, our brains still function, we are just not aware
of anything. Cutting a sheeps throat just below the brain means
immediate drop of blood pressure, so I would like to know how
soon it takes for them to become unaware, which nobody can answer.
IMHO its just a second or three, there is some evidence, but no
clear scientific evidence that I am aware of.

Sheeps brains are actually quite small. A gun shot can damage
parts of the brain, but not kill the animal.

The last Govt called for a scientific enquiry to answer these
questions, which I think is fair enough.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/03/1995804.htm

.

David, I'm certainly not arguing for live exports. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. What I'm arguing for is for the status quo to remain with respect to pre-stunning animals prior to slaughter by any means.

Singer was correct in my view to argue that ritual requirements are secondary to humane concerns if animals must be killed. Pre-stunning animals seems to me to be an effective compromise that should be maintained in Australia, and encouraged elsewhere.

Yes, a few farm and game animals are killed by slitting their throats while they're conscious, but these are relatively few in number compared to those processed in abattoirs in Australia. I have also known quite a few macho types who get their jollies by running down feral pigs with dogs, thence leaping on them and finishing them off with a knife in an orgy of masculine blood-letting.

That activity is, apparently, quite legal in Australia. And it's certainly not done in the name of religion. Let's keep our perspectives here.

P.S. I am also an advocate of logical, consistent argument.

This Halal issue is of serious concern to me because the way I see it and the way things are going - we are all going to be FED the Muslim religion and ways, whether we like it or not.... Once we are all eating Halal we are halfway Muslim. This is of serious concern....

We are being denied the choice as more and more meat becomes Halal meat and more and more food outlets use only Halal products to make the Muslims happy. But what about people who are not Muslim? I dont want to have to eat religious Halal meat...What about the rights of non Muslims in Australia?

Non Muslims should refuse to eat Halal meat and not allow Australia to become a Halal slaughtering country as it is not part of our ways, beliefs and culture.

The only argument against traditional slaughter is cause 'it's icky'...or anti-religious. You guys should put your energies into helping "domesticated" animals that are being neglected. Much more worth while.