A DISTRICT council has called on the government to help prevent future cases of animal cruelty in abattoirs by making it mandatory for CCTV to be installed in all premises of animal slaughter.

A majority of councillors voted in favour of the motion at a full meeting of Hambleton District Council today (Tuesday, February 24) after it was proposed by Cllr Gareth Dadd.

The motion came after an e-petition was launched following secret footage taken by Animal Aid of workers at Bowood Yorkshire Lamb, at Busby Stoop, near Thirsk, earlier this month which showed the alleged mistreatment of animals at the halal slaughterhouse.

The footage showed a worker hacking and sawing at animals’ throats, in contravention of Islamic practice, as well as sheep being kicked in the face and head and thrown into metal wall.

The e-petition calls for legislation to ensure selected footage from the cameras to be independently monitored by welfare experts – and as it has reached more than 100,000 signatures it will be passed to the House of Commons Backbench Business Committee.

Cllr Dadd said: “It gives me no pleasure to stand here to move this today, but the actions that we have seen recently exposed in the press concerning a local abattoir and animal cruelty, are totally abhorrent and unacceptable in civilised society.

“This is not about meat eaters against vegetarians, or halal slaughter against traditional slaughter – it is about finding a way to protect the reputation of professional operators in this district, and we urge the government to seriously consider CCTV as a means of achieving this.”

Cllr Dadd, who runs Bell’s Butchers in Middlesbrough, said the council condemns any improper practices.

He added: “The reported activities are not only in contradiction to the ethical and legal animal welfare standards expected - they could have an effect on the reputation of the usually excellent standards of our local food producers, the latter a large part of the success story of Hambleton.”

Cllr John Coulson said although he agreed largely with what Cllr Dadd had proposed he could not support the motion because it could potentially damage small businesses.

He said: “This will have financial implications for smaller abattoirs that we have come to rely on at smaller farm businesses in Hambleton.”

Cllr Dadd said he has CCTV installed in the offices of his business and believed it to be cost effective and beneficial for small firms.

“The system cost around £1,600 and I can access through pressing a button, any time of the day and night, and I can see every square inch of the premises,” he said.

Cllr Dadd added that while under currently animal welfare rulings a vet must be in site at an abattoir for a certain amount of time, with CCTV it may be possible for them to check standards remotely.

A majority of councillors voted to call on the government to consider making it a statutory requirement to have CCTV installed and suitably monitored in all abattoirs.