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I've read a few articles on t'Interweb over the last year or so - in fact the majority of this post was written exactly two years ago, but had been left simmering in my drafts - about certain supermarkets and KFC selling halal meat. Even some schools and hospitals serve halal and worse - gasp - your pub grub has possibly been ritually slaughtered
I personally find this disturbing, because:
- People don't know what they're eating.
- It's cruel.
- It's unnecessary.
- It's done for religious reasons.
Now, I admit, I'm not religious in the traditional sense, I follow my own crackpot beliefs. But on the other hand I don't mind what other people believe in, be it a God or a sugar puff fairy. What I do object to is cruelty to animals especially when it's because of a religion that's got nowt to do with us.
Do you know what halal meat is? Well, it's where the animal isn’t properly - if at all - stunned before having its throat cut to bleed to death, a verse/prayer - presumably from the koran - is said while the animal dies. I'm not ever so thrilled with any method of killing animals for our consumption but it's been proved that the animals, particularly the younger ones suffer for up to five minutes before they die by the halal method.
I assume that KFC's excuse - just like most of the big supermarkets ... oh, didn't you know that they sold halal meat in some of their stores without telling you? - is that they're 'responding to customer demand'. Aren't we customers too? Apparently, even though their every whim seems to have been catered for, Muslims have threatened to boycott KFC because their chicken isn't halal enough ... so, let 'em.
When did we - in this supposed enlightened age - start putting religion before cruelty to animals? I'm both shocked and dismayed by the barbaric attitude towards animals that we're allowing on religious beliefs, I bet the politically correct brigade would kick-up a fuss if it were Christians causing unnecessary suffering.
Apparently at the KFC's still running the halal trial, it's clearly marked on the door that their chicken is halal, oh yeah, and there's no bacon. But if you're not a Muslim, then you probably won't know what the sign means, and anyway who looks at anything - apart from opening times - written on the door? If you do notice it and ask for non-halal chicken you will be directed to another KFC within 7 miles, thereby giving the impression that you have a choice.
All this actually means is that the choice I'll be making is that I won't be going to any KFC ...
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteAs a animal lover, though not a vegetarian, this is a subject which really makes my blood boil.
It is either cruel or it is not.
There can be no half way, just as one cannot be half pregnant!
Harvey Locke, from the British Veterinary Association, summed up the situation clearly :
"Slaughter without pre-stunning unnecessarily compromises animal welfare; there is no debate about this within the scientific community. By ensuring that all meat from animals that are not stunned only enters the specific communities that it is targeted at, we can make a significant difference. We have a moral obligation to each animal we use and we must do all we can to ensure the highest level of welfare for our livestock."
British Veterinary Association
http://www.bva.co.uk/default.aspx
The argument seems straightforward to me: if we have scientifically proven standards for animal welfare that we believe in, we should stick to those standards.
Why should any groups be exempt from the law?
This was discussed in the press recently in connection with the labelling of “cruel meat”. ASDA came out worst as it was the only supermarket to refused to identify how its meat was slaughtered.
(something to hide?)
New Zealand is the worst offender as ALL its lamb is despatched in this cruel way.
Perhaps we should get up an e-petition?
Cheers....Bernard 'the pork scratching eater'!
Hi Bernard,
ReplyDeleteI've just been doing a bit of t'Interweb cruising [38 degrees] and by going through the comments of a proposed campaign, I come across an e-petition against halal methods - which I signed of course - I will put a link at the top of my 'halal' blog post and on the side bit ... just in case anyone bothers to read it at all.
I know it's not a worldwide petition but it's a start.
Julie