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EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANIMALS FOR SLAUGHTER (1979)
Strasbourg, 10 May 1979
The member States of the Council of Europe, signatory
hereto,
Considering that it is desirable to ensure the protection of
animals which are to be slaughtered;
Considering that slaughter methods which as far as possible
spare animals suffering and pain should be uniformly applied
in their countries;
Considering that fear, distress, suffering and pain
inflicted on an animal during slaughter may affect the
quality of the meat,
Have agreed as follows:
Chapter I
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Article 1
1. This Convention shall apply to the movement, lairaging,
restraint, stunning and slaughter of domestic solipeds,
ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry.
2. For the purpose of this Convention:
Slaughterhouse: shall mean any premises under health
control, intended for the professional slaughter of animals
to produce meat for consumption or for any other reason;
Moving animals: shall mean unloading or driving them from
unloading platforms or from stalls or pens at slaughterhouses
to the premises or place where they are to be slaughtered;
Lairaging: shall mean keeping animals in stalls, pens or
covered areas at slaughterhouses in order to give them the
necessary attention (water, fodder, rest) before they are
slaughtered;
Restraint: shall mean the application to an animal of any
procedure in conformity with the provisions of this
Convention designed to restrict its movements in order to
facilitate stunning or slaughter;
Stunning: shall mean any process in conformity with the
provisions of this Convention, which when applied to an
animal induces a state of insensibility which lasts until it
is dead, thus sparing it in any event any avoidable
suffering;
Slaughter: shall mean causing the death of an animal after
restraint, stunning and bleeding with the exceptions provided
for in Chapter III of this Convention.
Article 2
1. Each Contracting Party shall take the necessary steps to
ensure the implementation of the provisions of this
Convention.
2. Nothing in this Convention shall, however, prevent
Contracting Parties from adopting more stringent rules to
protect animals.
3. Each Contracting Party shall ensure that the design,
construction and facilities of slaughterhouses and their
operation shall be such as to ensure that the appropriate
conditions provided for in this Convention are complied with
in order to spare animals any avoidable excitement, pain or
suffering.
4. For slaughtering outside or inside slaughterhouses each
Contracting Party shall ensure that the animals are spared
any avoidable pain or suffering.
Chapter II
DELIVERY OF ANIMALS TO SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND THEIR LAIRAGING
UNTIL THEY ARE SLAUGHTERED
Article 3
1. Animals shall be unloaded as soon as possible. While
waiting in the means of transport they shall be protected
from extremes of weather and provided with adequate
ventilation.
2. The personnel responsible for moving and lairaging such
animals shall have the knowledge and skills required and
shall comply with the requirements set out in this
Convention.
Section I
THE MOVING OF ANIMALS WITHIN THE PRECINCTS OF
SLAUGHTERHOUSES
Article 4
1. The animals shall be unloaded and moved with care.
2. Suitable equipment such as bridges, ramps, or gangways,
shall be used for unloading animals. The equipment shall be
constructed with flooring which will permit a proper foothold
and, if necessary, shall be provided with lateral protection.
Bridges, ramps and gangways shall have the minimum possible
incline.
3. The animals shall not be frightened or excited. In any
event care must be taken to ensure that animals are not
overturned on bridges, ramps or gangways and that they cannot
fall from them. In particular animals shall not be lifted by
the head, feet or tail in a manner which will cause them pain
or suffering.
4. When necessary, animals shall be led individually.
Corridors along which they are moved must be so designed that
they cannot injure themselves.
Article 5
1. When animals are moved their gregarious tendencies shall
be exploited. Instruments shall be used solely to guide them
and must only be used for short periods. In particular, they
shall not be struck on, nor shall pressure be applied to, any
particularly sensitive part of the body. Electric shocks may
be used for bovine animals and pigs only, provided that the
shocks last no more than two seconds, are adequately spaced
out and the animals have room to move; such shocks shall be
applied only to appropriate muscles.
2. Animals' tails shall not be crushed, twisted or broken and
their eyes shall not be grasped. Blows and kicks shall not be
inflicted.
3. Cages, baskets or crates in which animals are transported
shall be handled with care. They shall not be thrown to the
ground or knocked over.
4. Animals delivered in cages, baskets or crates with
flexible or perforated bottoms shall be unloaded with
particular care in order to avoid injuring the animals'
extremities. Where appropriate they shall be unloaded
individually.
Article 6
1. Animals shall not be taken to the place of slaughter
unless they can be slaughtered immediately.
2. Animals which are not slaughtered immediately on arrival
shall be lairaged.
Section II
LAIRAGING
Article 7
1. Animals shall be protected from unfavourable climatic
conditions. Slaughterhouses shall be equipped with a
sufficient number of stalls and pens for lairaging of the
animals with protection from the effects of adverse weather.
2. The floor of areas where animals are unloaded, moved, kept
waiting or temporarily based, shall not be slippery. It shall
be such that it can be cleaned, disinfected and thoroughly
drained of liquids.
3. Slaughterhouses shall have covered areas with feeding and
drinking troughs and arrangements for tying up animals.
4. Animals which must spend the night at the slaughterhouse
shall be so housed and, when, appropriate, tied up in such a
way that they may lie down.
5. Animals naturally hostile to each other on account of
their species, sex, age or origin shall be separated from
each other.
6. Animals which have been transported in cages, baskets or
crates shall be slaughtered as soon as possible; otherwise
they shall be watered and fed in accordance with the
provisions of Article 8.
7. If animals have been subjected to high temperatures in
humid weather, they shall be cooled.
8. Where climatic conditions make it necessary (e.g. high
humidity, low temperatures), animals shall be placed in well-
ventilated accommodation. During foddering the stalls shall
be adequately lit.
Section III
CARE
Article 8
1. Unless they are conducted as soon as possible to the place
of slaughter, animals shall be offered water on arrival in
the slaughterhouse.
2. With the exception of animals to be slaughtered within
twelve hours of their arrival, they shall subsequently be
given moderate quantities of food and water at appropriate
intervals.
3. Where animals are not tied up, feeding receptacles shall
be provided which will permit the animals to feed
undisturbed.
Article 9
1. The condition and state of health of the animals shall be
inspected at least every morning and evening.
2. Sick, weak or injured animals shall be slaughtered
immediately. If this is not possible, they shall be separated
in order to be slaughtered as soon as possible.
Section IV
OTHER PROVISIONS
Article 10
In respect of reindeer, each Contracting Party may authorise
derogations from the provisions of Chapter II of this
Convention.
Article 11
Each Contracting Party may prescribe that the provisions of
Chapter II of this Convention shall be applied mutatis
mutandis to moving and lairaging of animals outside
slaughterhouses.
Chapter III
SLAUGHTERING
Article 12
Animals shall be restrained where necessary immediately
before slaughtering and, with the exceptions set out in
Article 17, shall be stunned by an appropriate method.
Article 13
In the case of the ritual slaughter of animals of the bovine
species, they shall be restrained before slaughter by
mechanical means designed to spare them all avoidable pain,
suffering, agitation, injury or contusions.
Article 14
No means of restraint causing avoidable suffering shall be
used; animals' hind legs shall not be tied nor shall they be
suspended before stunning or, in the case of ritual
slaughter, before the end of bleeding. Poultry and rabbits
may, however, be suspended for slaughtering provided that
stunning takes place directly after suspension.
Article 15
Other slaughter operations than those mentioned in Article
1, paragraph 2 may commence only after the animal's death.
Article 16
1. The stunning methods authorised by each Contracting Party
shall bring animals into a state of insensibility which lasts
until they are slaughtered, thus sparing them in any event
all avoidable suffering.
2. Use of the puntilla, hammer or pole-axe shall he
prohibited.
3. In the case of solipeds, ruminants and pigs, only the
following stunning methods shall be permitted:
Ñ mechanical means employing instruments which administer a
blow or penetrate at the level of the brain;
Ñ electro-narcosis;
Ñ gas anaesthesia.
4. Each Contracting Party may authorise derogations from the
provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article in the case
of slaughter of an animal at the place where it was reared by
the producer for his personal consumption.
Article 17
1. Each Contracting Party may authorise derogations from the
provisions concerning prior stunning in the following cases:
Ñ slaughtering in accordance with religious rituals;
Ñ emergency slaughtering when stunning is not possible;
Ñ slaughtering of poultry and rabbits by authorised methods
causing instantaneous death;
Ñ killing of animals for the purposes of health control
where special reasons make this necessary.
2. Each Contracting Party availing itself of the provisions
of paragraph 1 of this Article shall, however, ensure that at
the time of such slaughter or killing the animals are spared
any avoidable pain or suffering.
Article 18
1. Each Contracting Party shall make certain of the skill of
persons who are professionally engaged in the restraint,
stunning and slaughter of animals.
2. Each Contracting Party shall ensure that the instruments,
apparatus or installations necessary for the restraint and
stunning of animals comply with the requirements of the
Convention.
Article 19
Each Contracting Party permitting slaughter in accordance
with religious ritual shall ensure, when it does not itself
issue the necessary authorisations, that animal sacrificers
are duly authorised by the religious bodies concerned.
Chapter IV
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 20
1. This Convention shall be open to signature by the member
States of the Council of Europe and by the European Economic
Community. It shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or
approval. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval
shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council
of Europe.
2. This Convention shall enter into force six months after
the date of the deposit of the fourth instrument of
ratification, acceptance or approval by a member State of the
Council of Europe.
3. In respect of a signatory party ratifying, accepting or
approving after the date referred to in paragraph 2 of this
Article, the Convention shall come into force six months
after the date of the deposit of its instrument of
ratification, acceptance or approval.
Article 21
1. After the entry into force of this Convention, the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may, upon
such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, invite any
non-member State to accede thereto.
2. Such accession shall be effected by depositing with the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe an instrument of
accession which shall take effect six months after the date
of its deposit.
Article 22
1. Any State may, at the time of signature or when depositing
its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or
accession, specify the territory or territories to which this
Convention shall apply.
2. Any State may, when depositing its instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession or at any
later date, by declaration addressed to the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe, extend this Convention to any other
territory or territories specified in the declaration and for
whose international relations it is responsible or on whose
behalf it is authorised to give undertakings.
3. Any declaration made in pursuance of the preceding
paragraph may, in respect of any territory mentioned in such
declaration, be withdrawn by means of a notification
addressed to the Secretary General. Such withdrawal shall
take effect six months after the date of receipt by the
Secretary General of such notification.
Article 23
1. Any Contracting Party may, insofar as it is concerned,
denounce this Convention by means of a notification addressed
to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2. Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the
date of receipt by the Secretary General of such
notification.
Article 24
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify
the member States of the Council and any Contracting Party
not a member of the Council of:
(a) any signature;
(b) any deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance,
approval or accession;
(c) any date of entry into force of this Convention in
accordance with Articles 20 and 21 thereof;
(d) any declaration received in pursuance of the provisions
of Article 22, paragraph 2;
(e) any notification received in pursuance of the provisions
of Article 22, paragraph 3;
(f) any notification received in pursuance of the provisions
of Article 23 and the date on which denunciation takes
effect.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised
thereto, have signed this Convention.
Done at Strasbourg, this 10th day of May 1979, in English
and in French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a
single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of
the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council
of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each of the
signatory and acceding Parties.
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