Animal Welfare Policies and Human Rights in the Context of Slaughter Procedures

Giancarlo Bozzo, Roberta Barrasso, Davide Ferorelli, Vito Gassi, Roberto Russo and Francesco Emanuele Celentano
Additional contact information
Giancarlo Bozzo: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Italy
Roberta Barrasso: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Italy
Davide Ferorelli: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Umberto I, 70121 Bari, Italy
Vito Gassi: Department of Public, International and Community Law, University of Padova, Via 8 Febbraio 1848, 2, 35122 Padova, Italy
Roberto Russo: Student in International Business Management, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Rd, London N 78 DB, UK
Francesco Emanuele Celentano: Department of Law, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Umberto I, 70121 Bari, Italy

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Human rights, such as to non-discrimination and freedom of religion, are internationally recognized. In the meantime, the so-called global animal law is becoming more and more important. In this context, religious slaughter is increasingly becoming a matter for debate as a number of special procedures, which avoid stunning methods, may lead to greater suffering for animals. Such procedures are common to Judaism and Islam and involve 25% of the global population, almost 2 billion people. Considering that about 94% of European public opinion in 2015 expressed concern over animal welfare, it is time to evaluate the legal perspective of these special treatments. Indeed, although they seem to violate animal welfare policies, at the same time states have a duty to uphold religious freedom (and its forms of expression) under International and European law. The aim of this study is to evaluate, through a multidisciplinary approach, the complex balance between human rights in general and animal welfare policies, which are gaining importance especially in the European Continent’s legal framework.

Keywords: religious freedom; animal welfare; slaughter procedures; Council of Europe; European Union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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