I have just read some of the comments and as a non religious person, as usual everyone thinks that this is a religious matter , it is not. It is purely about cruelty to animals and I believe that our government should stop listening to any religious party and speak to the RSPCA or other people who are professionals in matters dealing with animal welfare. Organisations like DEFRA whose job it is to ensure that animals are not treated cruelly.

I don't care what it says in any religious gobbledegook, animals have rights. We don't stone people to death any more we don't hang people any more and we don't crucify them or burn them at the stake!! we need to join the 21st century and stop referring back to the religious twaddle that some people live by. You are perfectly in your rights to have your religious views but where it is proven to be prejudiced against women, children and animals we now have societies to stop these practices, you know what I mean.

Posted by jan butler | 06.11.09, 17:42 GMT

A. Geezer,

I can usually detect the 'stench' of religion behind even the most benign of statements or comments. I will give Andy a clean bill of health on this one. But, I may be wrong, he could be religious.

Posted by WH | 19.10.09, 14:57 GMT

Not a chance.

Posted by maggie | 17.10.09, 20:11 GMT

As a vegetarian, I would like to see all animal slaughter banned...Failing that, a complete ban on Halal and Kosher slaughter...And failing that, at LEAST stun the poor creatures prior to slitting their throats. :(

This government is pathetic and gets more so by the day!!

Posted by Karyn | 17.10.09, 16:45 GMT

WH, I have a feeling that Andy Elliott's rant comes from a christian point of view and he is basically having a go at other religions, as most so-called religious people like to do.

In summary: it's all a load of nonsense.

Posted by A. Geezer | 16.10.09, 16:57 GMT

Pigs are lucky that there is no halal pork.

Posted by Malachy McAnespie | 16.10.09, 16:51 GMT

Should stop beheadings while they're at it.

Posted by Stop | 16.10.09, 16:06 GMT

Andy,

I couldn't agree more.

However, religion will always win. There are numerous young Muslim girls in the UK who are forced by their families to go abroad each year to be circumcised. It may even be happening within the UK, according to some reports. Female circumcision requires that young girls have their external genitalia removed by cutting. Yes, they have their clitorises cut off against their wishes. The UK government has done nothing substantial to stop this heinous and disgusting practise, therefore, I would not hold your breath when it comes to the ethical treatment of animals in abattoirs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/241221.stm

Religion is a blight on our society and on the entire world. The sooner that people stop believing in these silly and harmful fairy stories the better it will be for all of us. Enough is enough.

Posted by WH | 16.10.09, 15:14 GMT

Halal method of slaughtering animals consists of a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck, cutting the jugular veins and carotid arteries. There is nothing cruel about it as you suggest. A German study using electrodes surgically implanted on the skull of sheep, and conducted by Wilhelm Schulze et al. at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany concluded that "the slaughter in the form of a ritual cut is, if carried out properly, painless in sheep and calves according to EEG recordings and the missing defensive actions" (of the animals) and that "For sheep, there were in part severe reactions both in bloodletting cut and the pain stimuli" when Captive Bolt Stunning (CBS) was used.

Posted by Facts please | 16.10.09, 12:39 GMT