Belgium to improve animal welfare after slaughterhouse scandal

All slaughterhouses in Flanders are to be equipped with camera surveillance systems, as one of the measures taken to improve animal welfare in slaughterhouses, report various media.

After the leak last month of shocking undercover footage of animal cruelty in a slaughterhouse in Tielt, West Flanders, Flemish animal welfare minister Ben Weyts laid out a number of measures for the entire sector.

In cooperation with the organisation of slaughterhouses, Weyts outlined a series of measures to be taken immediately by slaughterhouses across the region. These include the installation of surveillance cameras in all Flemish slaughterhouses, the promotion of the slaughterhouse supervisor to a stronger and more independent position within the company, annual audits by an external company and investment in training and refresher courses for slaughterhouse staff.

“The scandal in Tielt is a stain on the reputation of all slaughterhouses,” says minister Weyts, who has called for a thorough review of the industry. "I am pleased that the industry is so willing to cooperate, with concrete measures to enhance the welfare of the animals.”