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EU rules non-stun meat cannot be labelled as organic
The court ruled that non-stun slaughter carried out for religious reasons did not meet the high animal welfare standards required by organic regulations.

ECJ rules that pre-stunning significantly reduces animal suffering 

Kosher and halal meat cannot be labelled as organic if the animal was slaughtered without pre-stunning, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled.

The ruling follows a case which had been taken to the French minister for agriculture by a group called Oeuvre d’Assistance aux Bêtes d’Abattoirs (OABA).

The group argued that the organic farming label should not be applied to products - specifically beef patties - that contained meat from non-stunned animals.

The case was initially rejected by the French courts, but was passed to the ECJ for consideration.  

According to Farmers Weekly, the court ruled that non-stun slaughter carried out for religious reasons did not meet the high animal welfare standards required by organic regulations.

The court is also reported to have said that pre-stunning significantly reduced animal suffering.

Under EU law, all animals - with the exception of those for Jewish and Muslim consumption - must be stunned before slaughter. 

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

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News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."