Published 14/04/2011

On 19 April the European Parliament's Environment Committee will vote on an amendment which would require meat that comes from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter to be labelled 'meat from slaughter without stunning'.

The European Food Safety Authority states that there is a high risk that animals that have not been stunned feel extreme pain during the cutting of the throat.  The Report adds that during the period when the animal, whose throat has been cut, is still conscious, serious welfare problems are highly likely to occur since the animal can feel anxiety, pain, distress and other suffering.

In the case of animals slaughtered without stunning, a proportion of the carcass may not be consumed by the religious communities but may be put on sale for the general public.   It is important that consumers are informed when meat comes from animals that have not been stunned as they may wish to avoid purchasing such meat.

You can take action here

Please urgently email UK MEPs on the Environment Committee urging them to vote for the amendment that requires meat that comes from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter to be labelled 'meat from slaughter without stunning'.

The UK MEPs on this Committee probably support this amendment; indeed Struan Stevenson is co-tabler of it.  However, it's important that they hear from people who support the amendment as they have been getting lots of correspondence from opponents of the amendment.

The UK MEPs include:

• Chris Davies
• Jill Evans
• Julie Girling
• Linda McAvan
• Glenis Willmott
• Struan Stevenson

Their email addresses are of this format: firstname.secondname@europarl.europa.eu

If you are from outside the UK, you can find the names of the MEPs from your country that are on the Environment Committee here.