I admit I'm confused over this
Birmingham halal butcher was interviewed on R5L this evening. 90% of halal meat is stunned before being dispatched, in UK abattoirs.
Interviewee was a "non-stunner", for want of a better expression. To paraphrase what he said (i was driving at the time, so didn't take shorthand down),
"I don't stun them - just use a very sharp knife. They don't suffer."
Very interesting.
I stumbled upon a TV station long ago which graphically showed the killing of a cow, (I think it was), and a man came up to it on its natural environment from which it must have been familiar and most likely grew up all its, enjoyable, life.
I wasn't ready for what happened next... A man came up beside the cow and thrust the knife into the side of cows neck like he knew EXACTLY where and how what to do.
The blood gushed out like a tap had been just been turned on!
But it didn't react whatsoever, to my amazement!!!
As a human, we'd completely freak out if we saw that coming out of ourselves of course. But not this poor beast.
After about, I would guess, 15/20 seconds it emitted a 'moo'. But it didn't come across so much one of distress but one of, I don't know, confusion?
It saddened me something awful
But it didn't look in stress and I'm sure as I could be it didn't foresee it coming like maybe how we do things. (Mass production executions the animals can see and aware of what's to come?).
My last memory of that clip was the cow falling down and the man standing on its body to help with any blood flow. But I can't honestly say it looked like it suffered in a way which would be offensive to anyone who eats meat, loves animals, and understands that something has to die to fulfil that requirement.
(Never told that to anyone before; least of all on a forum).
Add: But I absolutely agree about animal cruelty, pain and suffering guys; especially on the grounds of a religious belief. My only argument here is what is more or least cruel? No animal wants to die*; not even lemmings, contrary to common belief.
Notwithstanding some human animals...
