Legislation

It is important to plan ahead to ensure that you always abide by the law. Legislation is in place to protect the welfare of the birds and also covering food hygiene and public health.

This online guide has been written with consideration of the relevant welfare legislation in the European Union and the UK. EC Regulation 1099/2009 on the Protection of Animals at the Time of Killing and The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 (WATOK)* are the main pieces of legislation which regulate welfare at slaughter. *Producers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland must refer to their respective versions of WATOK.. The guide does not deal with the food hygiene and public health aspects of the legislation.

The following links provide access to the relevant guidance and legislation according to which country you are resident in.

United Nations Countries:

› OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Slaughter Of Animals

European Union Member States:

› Council Regulation On The Protection Of Animals At The Time Of Killing

United Kingdom:

› DEFRA Guidance On The Welfare Of Animals At Slaughter

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1782/contents/made

Schedule 2 of WATOK (England) sets out the requirements for killing animals other than in slaughterhouses and applies to small-scale/seasonal producers slaughtering poultry on-farm.  

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/slaughtering-poultry-rabbits-and-hares-on-farms-for-small-scale-suppliers

You are classed as a small-scale supplier if all these apply:

·       you slaughter less than 10,000 birds per year which have all been reared on your farm;

·       you supply the birds, rabbits or hares directly to the final consumer or to local shops; and

·       you supply meat within your own county and the adjoining counties (or no further than 50 kilometres from your county’s border).