Day 019 - 27 Jul 94 - Page 68
1 MR. RAMPTON: Maybe Ms. Steel, my Lord, can define what she
means by "cruel", then maybe she and the witness might
2 have a sensible discussion about it.
3 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You use the word "humane". Is that a word
you are comfortable with?
4 A. Right, yes. Could she re-ask the question in that
respect?
5
MS. STEEL: Do you consider it to be humane to kill an animal
6 without stunning it first?
A. It depends on the circumstance. If I was doing -----
7
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Shall we keep it to -- are you on the
8 chickens at the moment? You can ask the general question,
if you want, but if you are on chickens, then do you want
9 to stick to chickens for the moment?
10 MS. STEEL: If I stick to chickens with this question, I might
have to ask it again twice over. It might be better
11 to -----
A. You are not asking the question in relation to
12 religious slaughter, are you?
13 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No, maybe you are, but I am anxious not to
embark on religious slaughter unless ------
14 A. Because the question does have implications in that
area obviously.
15
Q. I do not think that is what you are being asked. Are
16 there any circumstances in which, apart from religious
slaughter, you consider it humane?
17 A. Yes. There are circumstances where I consider it to
be more humane to go to the trouble of trying to find the
18 stunning apparatus in order to dispatch an animal rapidly
if it is suffering, by cutting its neck or pulling its
19 head off, or doing a method which does not involve
stunning. There are situations. There is euthanasia.
20
MS. STEEL: But in a standard killing line?
21 A. In a standard killing line the intention should be to
stun the animal first, instantaneously, to not cause undue
22 stress or pain in the application of the stunning method
or equipment, and to make sure they do not regain
23 consciousness. That is what is required. That is what
should be performed.
24
Q. Unless the animal is in grevious pain already, you think
25 that if that is not done that is inhumane?
A. Yes, provided it is carried out according to those
26 requirements, because if people are misapplying the
stunning system, then it could be argued that it would be
27 more humane just to cut its neck, but that refers to
misapplication or abuse of the animal.
28
Q. What do you mean by that then, misapplication?
29 A. There are situations where an animal may be unduly
distressed. It may experience discomfort. It may even
30 experience electric shocks. It may experience pain in the
application of the stunning device.
