Collection

Welfare of animals at the time of killing

Guidance on animal welfare for slaughterhouses, knacker's yards, small-scale producers and private individuals.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 15 October 2015
• Last updated: 16 October 2015
  Show all updates

  1. 16 October 2015

     Added knacker's yards and domestic slaughter groups.

  2. 15 October 2015

     First published.

These guides help you comply with the following regulations to minimise pain, distress or suffering of an animal when it’s killed:

• Retained EU regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing
• Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK) regulations for England

Licensing, inspections and penalties

• Slaughterhouses, knacker's yards and farms: inspections and penalties
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Certificate of Competence or licence to slaughter or kill animals
  • 13 March 2026
  • Guidance

Slaughterhouses

• Red and white meat slaughterhouses: standard operating procedures
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• White meat slaughterhouses: unloading, handling, holding, restraining, stunning and killing
  • 19 February 2026
  • Guidance
• Red meat slaughterhouses: unloading, handling and holding animals
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Red meat slaughterhouses: restraining, stunning and killing animals
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Slaughter without stunning
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance

Knacker's yards

• Knacker's yard and on-farm killing: standard operating procedures
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Knacker's yard: unloading, handling and holding animals
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Knacker's yards and farms: restraining, stunning and killing animals
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance

Domestic and small-scale slaughter

• Slaughter poultry, livestock and rabbits for home consumption
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Slaughtering poultry, rabbits and hares on farms for small-scale suppliers
  • 5 June 2023
  • Guidance