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The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015

S.I. 2015/1782 · Made 12 October 2015 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 27 February 2025.

Animals, England

Prevention Of Cruelty

Made 12th October 2015

Laid before Parliament 15th October 2015

Coming into force 5th November 2015

The Secretary of State is designatedf1 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972f2 in relation to the common agricultural policy of the European Union and makes these Regulations in exercise of those powers vested in herf3, and the powers conferred by paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 to that Actf4, and with the consent of the Treasury under section 56(1) of the Finance Act 1973f5.

These Regulations make provision for a purpose mentioned in section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, and it appears to the Secretary of State that it is expedient for the references in these Regulations to the Annexes to Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killingf6 to be construed as references to those Annexes as amended from time to time.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

S.I. 1972/1811.

f2

1972 c.68; section 2(2) was amended by section 27(1)(a) of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c.51), and the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c.7), Part 1 of the Schedule.

f3

The function of the former Minister of Agriculture of making regulations under section 2(2) was transferred to the Secretary of State by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794). Under paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c.32), despite the transfer to the Welsh Ministers of functions in relation to implementing obligations under EU law in relation to devolved matters, the Secretary of State retains power to exercise such functions as regards Wales. Under section 57 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c.46), despite the transfer to the Scottish Ministers of functions in relation to implementing obligations under EU law in respect of devolved matters, the function of the Secretary of State in relation to implementing those obligations continues to be exercisable as regards Scotland.

f4

Paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 was inserted by section 28 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c.51), and amended by the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c.7), Part 1 of the Schedule.

f5

1973 c.51; section 56(1) was amended by S.I. 2011/1043.

f6

OJ No. L303, 18.11.2009, p1.

Contents

  1. Part 1: General
  2. 1Citation, extent, application and commencement
  3. 2Expiry
  4. 3Interpretation
  5. 4The competent authority
  6. Part 2: Certificates, temporary certificates and licences
  7. Chapter 1: Certificates and temporary certificates
  8. 5Requirement for a certificate or temporary certificate
  9. 6Operations which require a certificate or temporary certificate
  10. 7Certificates
  11. 8Conditions for a certificate
  12. 9Temporary certificates
  13. 10Conditions for a temporary certificate
  14. 11Grant of certificates and temporary certificates
  15. Chapter 2: Licences
  16. 12Requirement for a licence
  17. 13Operations which require a licence
  18. 14Exceptions to the requirement for a licence
  19. 15Licences
  20. 16Conditions for a licence
  21. 17Grant of licences
  22. Chapter 3: Administrative provisions
  23. 18Refusal to grant a certificate, temporary certificate or licence
  24. 19Suspension or revocation of a certificate, temporary certificate or licence
  25. 20Modification of a certificate or licence
  26. 21Refusal to modify a certificate or licence
  27. 22Appeals
  28. 23WASK licences
  29. 24Fees
  30. Part 3: National rules
  31. 25Additional requirements for slaughterhouses
  32. 26Additional requirements for killing animals other than in slaughterhouses
  33. 27Additional requirements for killing animals in accordance with religious rites
  34. 28Killing animals other than those to which the EU Regulation applies
  35. Part 4: Derogation
  36. 29Depopulation operations
  37. Part 5: Offences and penalties
  38. 30Offences: general
  39. 31Obstruction offences
  40. 32Offences by bodies corporate
  41. 33Penalties
  42. Part 6: Enforcement
  43. 34Inspectors
  44. 35Power to enter premises
  45. 36Warrants
  46. 37Power to inspect and seize
  47. 38Enforcement notices
  48. 39Appeals against enforcement notices
  49. 40Power of local authority to prosecute
  50. 41Time limit for prosecutions
  51. Part 7: Miscellaneous provisions
  52. 42Notices
  53. 43Consequential and supplementary amendments and revocation
  54. 44Transitional provision: certificates
  55. 45Transitional provision: slaughterhouses (layout, construction and equipment)
  56. 46Review
  57. 47Revocations
  58. Signature
  59. Schedule 1: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES
  60. Part 1: Introductory
  61. 1Interpretation
  62. 2Scope
  63. Part 2: Layout, construction and equipment of slaughterhouses
  64. 3General requirements
  65. 4Animals delivered other than in containers
  66. 5Lairages other than field lairages
  67. 6Field lairages
  68. 7Shackle lines
  69. 8Stunning pens
  70. 9Facilities for horses
  71. Part 3: Handling operations
  72. 10General requirements
  73. 11Inspection of animals
  74. 12Animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals
  75. 13Animals delivered other than in containers
  76. 14The driving of animals
  77. 15Moving animals with care
  78. 16Instruments for guiding animals
  79. 17Lairaging of animals
  80. Part 4: Restraining operations
  81. 18General requirement
  82. 19Restraining bovine animals
  83. 20Suspending poultry
  84. 21Shackle lines
  85. 22Restraining operations
  86. Part 5: Stunning and killing operations
  87. 23General requirements
  88. 24Penetrative captive bolt
  89. 25Non-penetrative captive bolt
  90. 26Percussive blow to the head
  91. 27Electrical stunning other than by waterbath
  92. 28Electrical stunning by waterbath
  93. 29Exposure to gas – pigs
  94. 30Exposure to gas – poultry
  95. 31Bleeding or pithing
  96. 32Horses
  97. Schedule 2: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR KILLING ANIMALS OTHER THAN IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES
  98. Part 1: Introductory
  99. 1Interpretation
  100. 2Scope
  101. 3Exemptions
  102. Part 2: Layout, construction and equipment of premises
  103. 4General requirements
  104. 5Animals delivered other than in containers
  105. 6Lairages other than field lairages
  106. 7Field lairages
  107. 8Shackle lines
  108. 9Stunning pens
  109. 10Facilities for horses
  110. Part 3: Handling operations
  111. 11General requirements
  112. 12Inspection of animals
  113. 13Animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals
  114. 14Emergency killing
  115. 15Animals delivered other than in containers
  116. 16The lifting or dragging of animals
  117. 17The driving of animals
  118. 18Moving animals with care
  119. 19Instruments to guide animals
  120. 20Instruments to make animals move
  121. 21Treatment of animals
  122. 22Lairaging of animals
  123. 23Handling of animals delivered in containers
  124. 24Killing of animals delivered in containers
  125. 25Poultry awaiting killing at place of purchase
  126. Part 4: Restraining operations
  127. 26General requirement
  128. 27Restraining bovine animals
  129. 28Electric currents
  130. 29Tying legs
  131. 30Suspending animals
  132. 31Shackle lines
  133. 32Restraining operations
  134. Part 5: Stunning and killing operations
  135. 33General requirements
  136. 34Penetrative captive bolt
  137. 35Non-penetrative captive bolt
  138. 36Percussive blow to the head
  139. 37Electrical stunning other than by waterbath
  140. 38Electrical stunning by waterbath
  141. 39Exposure to gas – prohibition
  142. 40Exposure to gas – pigs
  143. 41Exposure to gas – poultry
  144. 42Bleeding or pithing
  145. 43Horses
  146. 44Surplus chicks in hatchery waste
  147. Schedule 3: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR KILLING ANIMALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RELIGIOUS RITES
  148. Part 1: Introductory
  149. 1Interpretation
  150. 2General prohibition
  151. Part 2: Sheep, goats and bovine animals
  152. 3Restraint of adult bovine animals
  153. 4Use and maintenance of restraining pens
  154. 5Method of killing
  155. 6Handling of sheep, goats and bovine animals during killing
  156. Part 3: Birds
  157. 7Method of killing
  158. 8Handling birds during killing
  159. Part 4: Rabbinical Commission
  160. 9Membership
  161. 10Supplementary
  162. Schedule 4: KILLING ANIMALS OTHER THAN THOSE TO WHICH THE EU REGULATION APPLIES
  163. 1Interpretation
  164. 2Scope
  165. 3Exemptions
  166. 4Humane killing
  167. 5Poultry, rabbits or hares bled for private domestic consumption
  168. Schedule 5PROVISIONS OF THE EU REGULATION
  169. Schedule 6: CONSEQUENTIAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY AMENDMENTS AND REVOCATION
  170. 1Firearms Act 1968
  171. 2Slaughterhouses Act 1974
  172. 3Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
  173. 4The Meat (Official Controls Charges) (England) Regulations 2009
  174. 5The Gangmasters Licensing (Exclusions) Regulations 2013
  175. 6The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2014
  176. Schedule 7: TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS (CERTIFICATES)
  177. 1Operations in a slaughterhouse immediately before 1st January 2013
  178. 2Simplified procedure for persons who have three years’ professional experience
  179. Schedule 8: TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS (SLAUGHTERHOUSES)
  180. 1Animals delivered other than in containers
  181. 2Lairages other than field lairages
  182. 3Field lairages
  183. 4Shackle lines
  184. 5Electrical stunning other than by waterbath
  185. 6Electrical stunning by waterbath
  186. 7Exposure to gas
  187. Explanatory note