The Humane Slaughter Association works to improve the welfare of food animals during transport, marketing, slaughter and killing for disease control and welfare reasons. It is a registered charity, based in the UK, but works all over the world through research, education, training and technical advances, to improve standards and bring practical and lasting improvements to the welfare of food animals across the globe.
The charity has gained an international reputation for being a knowledgeable and practical organisation, with a sound understanding of livestock and livestock handling. It provides education and training in the fields of transport, marketing and slaughter in the UK and around the world. Significant improvements continue to be achieved through working constructively alongside agricultural, meat industry, veterinary and other welfare and professional organisations.
Can we help you?
The HSA provides:
Education and Training – courses and lectures, run by licensed personnel who have both theoretical and practical knowledge of animal slaughter. These can be tailored to suit specific requirements and can be delivered at any suitable venue in the UK or abroad.
As part of its education and training initiatives, the charity also produces up-to-date technical and educational publications on all aspects of animal handling, transport, slaughter and killing in a range of formats and languages, many of which are available to download, free of charge, from our website. These guidance and technical notes have been taken up widely by the industry and have been found to be very helpful for training and promotion of humane operation practices.
Funding for essential research and other projects through grants and awards.
Independent advice to governments, other welfare organisations and the food industry. As an independent organisation, the charity is beholden to neither political nor trade nor emotional pressures and is thus able to play an unbiased role in promoting the humane treatment of livestock.
Visits to markets and slaughterhouses to recommend and advise on improvements, where necessary. The HSA is often approached for advice on animal welfare aspects of the operation of equipment or systems for handling, transport or killing of livestock. We welcome opportunities to observe and assess the operation of new or modified technologies or systems used in the handling, transport or killing of farmed food animals.
Please see our website www.hsa.org.uk for more information on our work and to view and access the publications available. If you require advice on a particular matter or would like to discuss something relevant to your facility, please email the HSA in the first instance at info@hsa.org.uk.
