Muslims, Jews lock horns over ritual slaughter of animals in Australia

Muslims and Jews in Australia have locked horns with each other over the ritual slaughter of animals, even as the John Howard Government announced a review of the practice last week.

Sydney, Aug.7 : Muslims and Jews in Australia have locked horns with each other over the ritual slaughter of animals, even as the John Howard Government announced a review of the practice last week.

While the Australian Federation of Islamic Council (AFIC) has said that Muslims in Australia have no issue with animals being slaughtered in an unconscious state, Kosher Australia, which represents Jews and their way of life, has deemed it as unacceptable.

AFIC is an organisation that oversees halal meat certification in Australia, and said the slaughter of animals with electrical stunning is acceptable to it."According to Islam, we have to respect the law of the country," The Age quoted AFIC halal services manager, Mohamed Rahman, as saying.

Under the current standard for ritual slaughter in Australia, animals are stunned before their throats are slit for halal meat or immediately afterwards for kosher meat. However, export abattoir Midfield Meats and three Victorian domestic abattoirs have special arrangements to slaughter without any form of stunning.

Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick, the rabbinic administrator of Kosher Australia and president of the Organisation of Rabbis in Australasia, said the Jewish method of slaughter without stunning is not cruel.

"We believe that the Jewish method of slaughter in itself is humane and pain free and this belief is supported by numerous scientific studies," he said.

"Slaughter without stunning is allowed in many countries, such as the US and Britain, and as such, we see no reason to oppose those who wish to conduct such slaughter here, provided always that this is also in accordance with current Australian Government policies and regulations.

Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran announced a review of the standard on ritual slaughter on Friday.

But animal welfare groups fear it will be used to find favourable science to justify killing without stunning and expand the practice.

Studies have found that an animal remains sensible to pain after its throat was cut anywhere from three to 85 seconds.

The RSPCA and Animals Australia believe any slaughter without stunning is inhumane and want the practice stopped while the review is conducted.

ANI