Providing humane slaughter facilities

The European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter (Strasbourg 1979) applies to the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning and slaughter of domestic solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry. Contracting Parties 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. Stunning shall mean any process 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.