This regulation is established pursuant to § 17 (8) of the Animal Protection Act.
§ 1. Special methods of religious slaughter of farm animals
(1) Religious slaughter of farm animals may be carried out using the following special methods:
1) slaughter of farm animals which have been electrically stunned;
2) slaughter of farm animals which have not been stunned.
(2) In case of religious slaughter of animals, religious traditions of a certain religious association shall be considered.
§ 2. Religious slaughter of farm animals, using electrical stunning
(1) In case of religious slaughter of a farm animal, it is pre-stunned with head-only electrical stunning after which its throat is immediately cut by one rapid uninterrupted movement of the knife, severing both carotide arteries and both jugular veins.
(2) Further handling of the animal being slaughtered is forbidden until its death has been certified by a supervisory official.
§ 3. Religious slaughter of farm animals without pre-stunning
(1) In case of religious slaughter of a farm animal without pre stunning, its movement must be restrained to minimise suffering and pain.
(2) After an animal’s movement has been restrained or it has been placed in restraint equipment, its throat must immediately be cut by one rapid uninterrupted movement of the knife, severing both carotide arteries and both jugular veins.
(3) Considering the tradition of a religious association, the cut shall immediately be followed by stunning according to Annex 1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1–30).
(4) Further handling of an animal being slaughtered is forbidden until its death has been certified by a supervisory official.
§ 4. Requirements and procedure for religious slaughter of farm animals
(1) Religious slaughter of a farm animal may be carried out only in an approved slaughterhouse equipped with relevant equipment and tools for religious slaughter and the related procedures.
(2) Persons carrying out religious slaughter of farm animals and the related procedures shall have relevant knowledge and skills, must have passed a relevant training and hold a certificate of competence for such operations meeting the requirements provided for in Articles 7 and 21 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1–30).
(3) Supervisory official attends religious slaughter of a farm animal.
(4) Tools to restrain the movement of an animal must be suitable and the species and size of the animal being slaughtered must be considered. The material used for ropes and strings must be soft in order to prevent pain.
(5) Bovine animals are mechanically restrained by a special mechanical device which enables animals to stay in a standing position until loss of consciousness.
(6) Sheep and goats are restrained in a manner to prevent falling and fall-related pain and injuries.
(7) Emergency stunning equipment in good working order must be available in the place used for slaughter.
(8) Cutting device must be sharp and suitable for the animal being slaughtered. The length of the edge must be at least twice as long as the neck diameter of the animal being slaughtered.
(9) Person cutting the throat of an animal must get convinced of the sharpness of the edge of the cutting tool directly before each cut.
§ 5. Detailed requirements for the content and format of application to get the permission for religious slaughter of animals
To get the permission for religious slaughter of farm animals, a religious association shall submit to the Veterinary and Food Board an application following the format given in Annex and including data on the farm animals to be slaughtered, the place used for slaughter and the special method of slaughter and other data referred to in Annex.
§ 6. Entry into force
This Regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2013.
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