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extends to all animals throughout England and Wales the provision of
the Slaughter of Animals Act, 1933, under which certain animals shall be
instantaneously slaughtered, or shall be instantaneously made insensible
to pain by stunning.
By the Slaughter of Animals (Pigs) Act, 1953, which came into
force on 1st July, 1954, pigs over the age of twelve weeks which are
required to be slaughtered elsewhere than a slaughterhouse or knacker's
yard shall be instantaneously slaughtered, or be stunned and thereby
rendered insensible to pain until dead, and the slaughter or stunning
shall be effected by a mechanically operated instrument.
Five slaughtermen applied for the renewal of their licences. The
applications were granted.
Meat Inspection
Notice of Slaughter. From 29th June, when the Ministry of
Food ceased to be responsible for the slaughter of animals, slaughter of
animals for sale for human consumption became again subject to the
requirements of the Public Flealth (Meat) Regulations, 1924-52, and of
any local Act or byelaw.
The relevant requirements of the meat regulations are:—
{a) Not less than three hours' notice of intention to slaughter,
stating the day, time and place of slaughter, must be given to
the local authority by the person responsible for the slaughter
of the animal. Separate notices are not required, however,
where it is the regular practice to slaughter at fixed times on
fixed days of which notice has been given. Notice of intention
to slaughter can be dispensed with when the animal has to be
slaughtered in an emergency, e.g. for humanitarian reasons,
but in any such case notice of slaughter must be given as soon
as possible.
(b) The local authority must be notified forthwith when, on the
slaughter of an animal for sale for human consumption, any
part of the carcase or internal organ appears to be diseased or
unsound.
The carcase of an animal, including the mesentery and internal
organs, other than the stomach, intestines and bladder, must not be
removed from the place of slaughter until they have been inspected or
weir removal has been authorised by an officer of the local authority.
Hie foregoing does not apply to sheep or to any animal in respect of
which there is an exemption from the requirement to give individual
notice of intention to slaughter, unless some part of the carcase or organs
appears to be diseased or unsound. The carcase and internal organs
may m any case be removed from the place of slaughter at the expiration
ol three hours from the time of slaughter or six hours from the time of
elivery of the notice to slaughter, whichever time is the later, except
at when such time falls between 7 p.m. on one day and 7 a.m. on the
ne*t, the removal shall be postponed until the later time. The carcase
°rgans °f an animal which has been slaughtered for reason of
ccidental injury may be moved to a more convenient place if the place