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<p>The Government cares highly about the welfare of animals and this includes their
welfare at the point of slaughter. The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England)
Regulations 2015 (WATOK) implements and enforces Council Regulation 1099/2009 (EU
Regulation) on the protection of animals at time of killing as well as maintaining
our stricter national rules that provide greater welfare protection than the EU Regulation.</p><p>These
requirements are monitored and enforced in slaughterhouses in England by Official
Veterinarians (OVs) of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to ensure that animals are
spared avoidable pain, suffering or distress. The FSA operates a zero tolerance policy
towards animal cruelty and OVs take a prompt and proportionate approach to enforcement
action where breaches are identified.</p><p>The Government has delivered on the manifesto
commitment to make CCTV recording in slaughterhouses mandatory. This legislation came
into force last year and requires slaughterhouse operators to install and operate
a CCTV system in their premises that provides a clear and complete view of all areas
where live animals are present. This legislation followed several well publicised
cases of animal abuse in slaughterhouses. As an important complement to existing physical
observation, CCTV should help maintain and improve animal welfare standards in all
slaughterhouses and provide assurance to consumers that this is the case.</p>
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