# The Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990, Regulation 2: Interpretation


(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–
“the Act” means the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980;
“animal” means any description of cattle, sheep, goat, swine or horse (including asses, ponies, hinnies or mules);
“bovine” means a bull, ox, bullock, cow, heifer or steer or a calf which is too large to be restrained on a cradle or table, and for the purposes of regulations 5, 9, 14 and 24 of these Regulations includes all calves;
“casting pen” means a rotary pen capable of casting animals for slaughter;
“contravention” in relation to any provision of these Regulations includes a failure to comply with that provision and “contravene” shall be construed accordingly;
“knacker’s yard” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is not intended for human consumption; and “knacker” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;
“lairage” means any premises or yard used for the confinement of animals awaiting slaughter forming part of or used in connection with a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and, for the purposes of regulations 3 and 5 of these Regulations, includes a field so used;
“local authority” means an islands or district council;
“mechanically-operated instrument”, except for the purposes of regulations 14(b) and 16(1)(b), includes an instrument for stunning by means of electricity;
“occupier” means–
(a) in relation to a slaughterhouse provided by a local authority, that local authority;
(b) in relation to any premises used as a slaughterhouse, the person registered in respect of the premises for that purpose under section 4 of the Act, and
(c) in relation to premises used as a knacker’s yard, the person holding a licence in respect thereof under section 6 of the Act;
“restraining pen” means a pen or compartment which is–
(a) suitable for restraining in an upright position a bovine while it is being slaughtered by the Jewish or Muslim method;
(b) constructed so as to confine one such animal at a time, without discomfort, and so as to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways once it has been placed in position for slaughter; and
(c) the subject of an approval by the Secretary of State under regulation 20 of these Regulations;
“slaughterhall” means that part of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard in which the actual slaughtering of any animal or the dressing of any carcase is carried out;
“slaughterhouse” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is intended for sale for human consumption; and “slaughterman” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;
“sticking” means the severance of the major blood vessels in the neck or immediately anterior to the heart by means of a knife and “stuck” shall be construed accordingly;
“stunning pen” means a pen or compartment which is suitable for confining a bovine while it is being stunned and which is so constructed as to confine, without discomfort, only one such animal at a time and to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways;
“vehicle” means any vehicle (including a trailer of any description) constructed or adapted for use on a road.
(2) Any provision of these Regulations which applies to an animal awaiting slaughter applies until the animal is dead.
(3) Any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation shall be construed as a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these Regulations.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1990/1240/regulation/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/slaughter-of-animals-humane-conditions-scotland-regulations-1990/regulation-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.