Dismay over report on mandatory CCTV in abattoirs
"We are disappointed that the Task and Finish Group has not taken on board the concerns of vets working in slaughterhouses" - Neil Paton.
Veterinary organisations say they are "disappointed" by a report advising the Welsh Government not to introduce mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses.
A working group made up of representatives from the abattoir industry explored the need for, and possible implementation of, an effective system for CCTV in all Welsh slaughterhouses.
They concluded that while CCTV is a useful additional tool in improving animal welfare, there is 'simply not sufficient basis in which to make CCTV a mandatory requirement in abattoirs in Wales'.
However, the report encourages abattoirs to install and use CCTV effectively for training purposes - for example, if the stun area is difficult to see. The working party also provided a checklist to help abattoirs to decide whether or not they would benefit from CCTV.
Responding in a joint statement, the BVA and Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) said that making CCTV a mandatory requirement, and giving vets unrestricted access to the footage, is vital to protect animal welfare, aid enforcement and ensure consumer confidence.
Neil Paton, president of the BVA Welsh Branch, added: "We are disappointed that the Task and Finish Group has not taken on board the concerns of vets working in slaughterhouses and not followed the logic of their own arguments about the benefits of CCTV highlighted in the report."
According to the report there are 26 abattoirs in Wales, of which eight use CCTV to monitor areas where live animals are handled. In 2015, 96.6 per cent of poultry and 89.5 per cent of red meat animals were slaughtered in abattoirs that have CCTV installed.
But the BVA raised concerns that this leaves nearly 385,000 sheep, pigs and cattle, and over two million birds, being slaughtered without CCTV safeguards - which the organisation believes increases the potential risk of welfare harm.
Welfare data produced by OVs in 2015 shows there were 312 reports of animal welfare breaches, of which 260 related to transport and were therefore not the responsibility of the abattoir. The report argues that appropriately sited CCTV would have caught most of the other 52 welfare breaches occurring on the premises, but issues such as animals being left in a pen without water should be picked up by management and/or the OV long before it is spotted on CCTV.
The working party said there are already a number of controls in place, including the permanent presence of an official veterinarian (OV) who is responsible for overseeing the implementation of welfare measures; daily recording of incidents; and the requirement for abattoirs to have standard operating procedures on protecting animal welfare.
But Mr Paton questioned: "If there isn't CCTV footage, or vets cannot access the footage, how can the number of reported incidents be verified?"
Gudrun Ravetz, BVA president, said vets working in slaughterhouses are striving for "a culture of compassion" and CCTV is "an important tool" in implementing this. Whilst she recognised that the cost of installing CCTV could be a burden for some small abattoirs, she stressed the need for a good life and a humane death as she re-emphasised calls for compulsory CCTV in all UK slaughterhouses.
Other recommendations made in the report were welcomed by the BVA, however. The working group said it would like to see grants made available to help small sites to invest in equipment. It also noted that animal welfare during transport to slaughter is 'an area of concern' and additional focus is needed to improve this.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
