Target: Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture, Agri-food and Food Sovereignty, Ministry of Agriculture, Paris, France
Goal: Investigate alleged slaughterhouse welfare breaches, prosecute serious violations, and require effective stunning, transport protections, and independent oversight.
Animals entering slaughterhouses are entitled to legal protections until the moment of death. Yet evidence presented by animal advocates has seemingly documented critical welfare failures inside French abattoirs, including improper stunning and animals experiencing preventable suffering during slaughter. Campaigners have also highlighted serious injuries apparently sustained during transportation to slaughter facilities.
When stunning fails, an animal may remain conscious during procedures intended to follow loss of awareness. Transport injuries can compound fear and physical suffering before animals even reach the slaughter line. Many reported violations have not resulted in identifiable individuals being publicly prosecuted.
Closed doors cannot become a barrier to enforcement. Authorities should increase unannounced inspections, preserve surveillance and veterinary records, investigate every serious welfare breach, and establish responsibility for failures involving stunning, handling, transport, or supervision. Where evidence proves violations, operators and individuals responsible should face meaningful administrative or criminal penalties.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Genevard,
Animal advocates have presented compelling potential evidence of serious welfare problems in French slaughterhouses, including improper stunning and preventable injuries associated with transport and handling. These types of failures can expose animals to intense suffering at the final stage of their lives.
Please strengthen independent and unannounced inspections, require rigorous documentation of stunning failures and animal injuries, preserve relevant video evidence, and ensure veterinary findings are promptly referred for enforcement when violations are identified.
Where investigators establish breaches of animal welfare law, impose meaningful sanctions and pursue criminal prosecution when legally warranted. Require slaughterhouses to demonstrate effective stunning, humane handling, and lawful transport practices. Animal welfare protections have little value if serious violations occurring behind closed doors carry no consequences.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: L214 – Ethique & Animaux
