The government is asking slaughterhouses to install cameras to ensure animal welfare

The Council of Ministers approved this Tuesday a royal decree establishing new measures to control animal welfare by installing cameras and video surveillance systems in all slaughterhouses, including mobile ones, regardless of their size. Thus, Spain becomes the first country in the European Union to implement this requirement, which until now has been voluntary, which includes an adaptation time of one or two years, depending on whether the slaughterhouse is large or small.

“Video surveillance systems are in demand by consumers who want to make sure that the product is slaughtered according to animal welfare standards,” insists Rafael Escudero, Secretary General of Consumer Affairs, who recalls that other types of controls already exist. carried out by veterinarians, but it is about seeking “more certainty” to ensure that animals are well treated.

The Royal Decree is delivered by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and has co-proponents from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda. Escudero explains that this measure is a “repeated request from consumer associations to have more confidence. , which guarantees animal welfare; and from the meat industry itself, which also demanded this control system”. For this reason, he adds, it is an event supported by various actors.

The purpose of installing these video surveillance systems is to ensure “animal welfare during the unloading, handling, placement and stunning of animals and to improve food safety guarantees for consumers,” sources in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs explained.

These chambers should cover, at a minimum, facilities where live animals are present, including unloading areas, driving corridors, and areas where stunning and bleeding procedures are performed. In the case of poultry and pigs, the installation of cameras should allow the burning to be recorded to confirm that animals showing signs of life are not subjected to this operation, add the above sources.

“This is a rule that puts Spain at the head of Europe in this matter and that, in addition to guaranteeing the well-being of animals in slaughterhouses, also improves food safety guarantees for the consumer,” the Minister of Consumption appreciates. Alberto Garzon via statement.

One or two years of adaptation

From the publication of this royal decree in the official state gazette, large slaughterhouses will have one year to install video surveillance cameras, and two years for small ones. It is estimated that there are currently around 700 slaughterhouses in Spain, half of which are small. What determines the size difference? Number of animals slaughtered.

“A small one does not exceed 40 cows, bulls or bullocks slaughtered in a week. About 2,000 years,” Rafael Escudero asserts. On the other hand, in Didi, 200 pigs or 400 sheep can be produced per week. The consumption calculation is that each slaughterhouse will have to allocate around 6,000 euros for the installation of these video surveillance systems, for which it is understood that it is necessary to allow adjustment time to reduce the economic impact.

Supervision and sanctions

In this way, the obligation to have video surveillance cameras becomes another tool to improve the supervision and control of this type of installation, which belongs to autonomous communities and which does not provide for additional sanctions. If the deadline, 12 or 24 months, when slaughterhouses must have cameras and they do not comply, regional governments can call on the company that owns the installation to install video surveillance or even close the slaughterhouse.

If the records reveal violations, in addition to the sanctions already provided by the current legislation, the animal welfare certificate of the companies may be revoked.

The latest data from the National Food Chain Official Control Plan (PNCOCA) 2016-2020 indicates a 24% increase in the number of global non-conformities in official welfare-specific controls last year. by societies. 64% of these non-conformances were related to improper handling of animals during unloading, handling or baying, stunning and bleeding conditions or training of operators performing slaughter.

The Ministry of Consumption indicates that those responsible for slaughterhouses should keep the recorded images for possible later verification. In particular, “according to data protection legislation, they will have to keep it for a month or more if a case is opened”. Similarly, companies should have a data protection delegate who will be the person responsible for the records.

Slaughterhouses will also have to ensure that they are reproduced, copied or transmitted to other devices in the same quality as the original recording, the consumption indicates.

Source: El Diario

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