This should never happen again.

The sight of a tiny dairy calf drowning in his own blood is the stuff of nightmares. As are disturbing images of a cow being shot five times in the head in a ‘stunning’ procedure gone terribly wrong.  

These are just some of the scenes documented by Farm Transparency Project investigators across five slaughterhouses in Tasmania. 

The month-long investigation not only uncovered widespread acts of animal cruelty but major breaches of regulations – exposing a complete failure of government regulators to monitor and enforce basic standards. 

Slaughterhouses are already dreadful places for animals, but this harrowing footage shows the additional risk they can face when nobody is watching. Evidence includes: 

• Pigs being punched and kicked  
• Cows and pigs being struck in the face and body with electric prodders 
• Sheep being kicked and thrown 
• Calves having their throats cut while fully conscious (due to inadequate ‘stunning’) 
• Goats, cows and pigs dragged by their horns, tails and ears 
• Ineffective ‘stunning’ of cows leading to animals being shot up to five times with captive bolt 
• Rough and aggressive handling of animals to force them into restraining devices. 

Animals Australia has called for the immediate suspension of these five slaughterhouses, pending an investigation, and for independently monitored CCTV to be mandated in all facilities that kill animals across the state. 

While slaughterhouses will always be places of fear and suffering for animals, CCTV could at least motivate compliance with regulations and spare animals from the type of abuse uncovered in this investigation. Please use this form to call on your state MP to support compulsory and importantly, independent, regularly monitored CCTV in all slaughterhouses in Tasmania.  

History repeating itself.

Two of these slaughterhouses were previously exposed to the public for animal cruelty and breaches of regulations – yet were cleared to continue operating. To see such shocking, awful mistreatment of animals still occurring speaks to a complete failure of oversight, both by management and the regulator. 

In a further aggravating revelation, three of the slaughterhouses have CCTV installed, but because they are not regularly or independently monitored, these animals were left exposed to abuse in their most vulnerable moments. 

Slaughterhouse management – and the responsible regulators – will often blame and ‘scapegoat’ workers for unacceptable acts of cruelty. But this is not about individual slaughterhouse workers, it is a systemic problem. As a coping mechanism, slaughterhouse workers have to become desensitised to the task of killing, which is why we see such disregard for individual animals. 

It’s well documented that soldiers in war suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, and there is mounting evidence that slaughterhouse workers do as well, as they’re having to do something contrary to their conscience. 

The very nature of slaughterhouse work – and the risks for animals – makes independent oversight critical. The long history of cruelty exposés shows these facilities cannot be allowed to continue monitoring themselves. Take action below to urge Tasmania to be the first state to enforce independently-monitored CCTV in all slaughterhouses.  

You can help animals, starting now.

Whilst laws and regulations can try to reduce the amount of suffering an animal experiences, the reality is that there is no such thing as ‘humane’ slaughter. Even the ‘best case’ scenario will subject animals to prolonged stress and suffering during transport – and for many, abject pain and terror at the slaughterhouse. 

To truly protect animals from cruelty, we need to look at why so many are forced through slaughterhouses every day. 

Consumer demand for animal products sees millions of sentient beings including chickens, fish, pigs, cows, calves and goats killed in Australian slaughterhouses every year. And while regulations exist to attempt to reduce cruelty and suffering, laws can never protect them from it.  

But you can.  

We live at a time when there is an abundance of plant-based alternatives available. Choosing them is the ultimate act of kindness for animals. And every conscious, kind food choice will help spare more animals from ever seeing the inside of a slaughterhouse. You’ll find plenty of tips and tasty animal-friendly recipes in our Veg Starter Kit. Order your FREE copy today.