The images of animals mistreated in slaughterhouses filmed by animal rights associations follow one another. To stem the phenomenon of animal mistreatment, controls in slaughterhouses will be strengthened through unannounced and generalized inspections as well as the establishment of an intervention force from the fall, announced Sunday, July 4 in the evening the Minister of agriculture Julien Denormandie.
“At a given moment T, all the slaughterhouses in France will be inspected on a particular point”, for example, the transport of animals, according to this plan disclosed in the newspaper West France on the occasion of a visit by the Minister to Charente-Maritime on Monday as part of the national strategy for the modernization of slaughterhouses.
Following these checks, all possible non-conformities will be noted and, if applicable, “Adapted and harmonized administrative and / or criminal proceedings” will be taken. Will follow “An assessment and follow-up of corrective measures” taken at the end of these visits.
A rapid action group operational in the fall
Another measure provided for in Mr. Denormandie’s plan to tighten controls, a rapid action group, “Can be mobilized at any time” and called FINA (national slaughterhouse inspection force), will be operational from autumn 2021. Its six agents will be able to “Unexpected or emergency control of slaughterhouses, jointly with the local inspection services”.
They will stand “Ready to intervene anywhere and at any time in the most difficult situations such as in the implementation of the follow-up of controls, or even in situations where decisions of partial or total suspension of activity are necessary”, details the ministry.
The minister, who is due to visit the SIBCAS slaughterhouse in Surgères on Monday, should this week send a letter to all the prefects asking them “To act firmly when the situation requires it” while animal defense associations regularly denounce animal abuse in certain farms and slaughterhouses.
Activity has been suspended for six slaughterhouses since July 2020: four have since resumed activity and two are still closed, recalls the ministry. Nearly 2,000 inspectors are in charge of slaughterhouses in France.