Animal abuse in a slaughterhouse in France: L214 condemns the state

French justice has condemned the state for allowing animal abuse to continue at a slaughterhouse in the southwest of the country, three years after a video was broadcast by the animal defense association L214 showing lambs slaughtered in poor conditions.

In a decision of May 4, which was welcomed by the Association Against Organisms on Wednesday, the Administrative Court of Montpellier condemned the state to pay L214 4,500 euros, including 3,000 euros for “moral damage linked to the fault of the state”. In the inadequacy of its controls the regulations related to animal protection by the Aarsak slaughterhouse.”

In the video, which is a montage of short sequences, we notably see lambs being slaughtered while apparently poorly packed and fastened.

“Bad practices and infernal speeds lead to the bleeding and hanging of lambs that are still fully conscious,” L214 denounced at the time.

However, according to the Administrative Tribunal, confiscated by L214 in 2020, these breaches of national and European legislation were noted in 2016 and 2019 and an official notice of compliance was sent to the company that operates the slaughterhouse.

But these findings “were not subject to appropriate administrative follow-up or, where appropriate, reporting to the Public Prosecutor of the most serious of them,” notes the Administrative Tribunal.

The judge asserted that state controls were “insufficient to prevent risks of animal abuse despite the significant non-compliance noted in 2016, particular vigilance and monitoring was necessary”.

It also notes that the deficiencies noted by L214 in 2020 have been substantiated and confirmed by the National Veterinary and Phytosanitary Investigations Brigade.

“Our surveys show that services (state vets) are often a total failure. Here in Rhodes, major cases of non-compliance have persisted since 2016. We are glad that the Administrative Tribunal finally convicts the state,” Brigitte Guthier, co-founder of L214 responded, In a press release.

“We call on the Ministry of Agriculture to take responsibility in this regard,” she added.

In June 2020, the relevant ministry suspended approval of the company operating the slaughterhouse, claiming “unacceptable practices”.

AFP contacted him, but by the end of the morning had not responded to the court’s decision.