The Scottish Government is to bring forward legislation to Holyrood this year requiring abattoirs to record on CCTV all areas where live animals are present. This brings Scotland into line with England where CCTV in all abattoirs became the law in May 2018.
The Scottish Government says that it’s intended to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare in abattoirs, by helping those responsible for enforcing welfare legislation. The proposal was backed by most respondents to a recent consultation carried out by the Scottish Government.
Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment Mairi Gougeon said: “More than eight out of ten slaughterhouses in Scotland have already installed CCTV coverage in their premises voluntarily, and over 95pc of all animals slaughtered in Scotland are covered by some form of CCTV. However, the standards of that coverage can differ from location to location.
“This government is committed to ensuring the highest standards of welfare for all animals. And we are pleased that so many respondents to our consultation backed our proposals to make this compulsory. It was important also to consider the financial implications of such a move for industry, and whether other options might be available to improve animal welfare.”
