Compulsory closed-circuit TV recording at abattoirs consultation: summary of responses

About the Consultation

The vast majority of respondents (87.7%) thought the consultation to have explained the key issues sufficiently to allow them to properly consider their responses. In addition, 86.5% of respondents agreed that the 12 week consultation period was sufficiently long to enable their full response.

A total of 55 respondents offered comments about the way the consultation had been conducted.

Positive comments included:

• I found the format and layout of the consultation very simple and easy to take part in.
• Very easy to use but it would have been handy to have a link back to the Consultation Document.
• I am grateful for the ability to make my views clear in a consultation and value the ability to respond to Scottish Government consultations.
• I am pleased that the Scottish Government has produced this consultation as it is imperative that all animals are treated with dignity, respect and kindness as they approach the end of their lives.
• Once again, I applaud and thank the Scottish Government for taking animal welfare seriously, and for inviting views from the public.
• It has been carried out professionally and thoughtfully.

Negative comments included:

• It is a shame the Scottish Government’s heart doesn’t seem to be in animal welfare. Only people and money seem to matter.
• The number of responses from bodies which do not need to implement any legislation will vastly outnumber those from businesses who are actually affected.
• As usual with consultations, the general public is not made aware they are happening.
• I think it is paying far too little attention to the moral imperative to do everything possible to prevent suffering.
• In an ethical society it should not have had to be set in motion. Scotland/UK has a long way to go in catching up with a more informed and ethically mature society.
• It has not been widely publicised. There should be advertisements on TV to ensure that the Scottish people know.
• It is the wrong consultation. You should be consulting on things that will actually protect animals from harm.
• Using the Scottish Government website is a limited means of seeking responses from the general public.
• I consider the consultation to be an ongoing abuse of the rights of animals who are commodified as commercial units rather than sentient beings.
• It does not cover the slaughter and meat process sufficiently. On-farm slaughter should have been considered. Focussing purely on the dispatch end of the process is only the start.