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26 Cheshvan 5765 - November 10, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Opinion & Comment
Are the Anti-Shechita Agitators in the UK Really Concerned with Animal Welfare?

by The Hon. J. Lobenstein

Whilst behind-closed-door negotiations are in progress between British Jewish community leaders and government ministers in an effort to retain the status quo on the Shechita procedures in the United Kingdom, it seems appropriate to reflect on some fundamental issues of animal welfare.

It needs no further repetition that the Torah is quite specific on the need to avoid any type of cruelty or even lack of kindness to animals. It is equally clear, and needs no repetition, that no aspect of the shechita process causes pain to the animal and that the shochet's incision has the effect of immediate and irreversible stunning. This has been confirmed over and over again by eminent scientists in this country and abroad.

What bothers me is the motive of those who, year after year, cast aspersions on the humaneness of shechita and seem to cover their deep-rooted prejudices by waving the flag of animal welfare.

Are the anti-shechita protagonists of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) really concerned with every aspect of animal welfare — or is their concern limited to shechita?

Have these anti-shechita protagonists ever taken their families to the zoo and seen how thousands of animals — large and small — are cooped-up in cages; whereas, they should be free to roam around their natural habitat in the wilds of Africa and elsewhere?

Isn't that a shocking display of animal cruelty enjoyed by millions of zoo visitors all over the world?

Or have the animal-loving grandees of FAWC never taken their families to Horseguards Parade and enjoyed — yes, enjoyed — the sight of scores of horses being regimented by screaming sergeant majors which, despite the horses natural instinct of obedience, is bound to cause distress?

And how about the horse-racing "sport" — a huge industry in the UK — which drives horses to utter exhaustion. Isn't that a classic case of cruelty to animals?

I was recently invited to attend a huge police display in the center of London which, among other features, showed scores of police personnel sitting on horseback in a stationary position for some three hours in scorching summer heat. No food, no water — just standing at attention whilst on other parts of the parade ground dozens of police officers were carried away by paramedics as they fainted due to the strain which they had to endure.

Is there a shred of evidence that this sort of animal exploitation causes no pain, distress or anxiety to animals?

My question therefore is: when, in the FAWC dictionary, is animal cruelty, really animal cruelty? Is there an exemption when cruelty causes enjoyment to human beings?

Unfortunately, this is an aspect which has never been vented in public debate. Discussions with ministers invariably center around the scientific aspect of alleged cruelty to animals when it relates to shechita for Jews (or halal for Moslems).

Am I oversensitive when I suggest that there is more to the anti-shechita campaign than the eye can see?

I get an agonizing feeling that there is a fundamental flaw in the current debate. Indeed it is not difficult to detect that the Jewish community is up against an orchestrated campaign which contains a combination of prejudice, discrimination and even dishonesty.


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