Netherlands: 100,000 animals slaughtered for Eid ul-Adha
Around 95,000 sheep and about 4,000 cows were slaughtered this year in the Netherlands (NL) in honor of Eid ul-Adha. In general the rules for slaughtering and transporting the animals were observed, reports the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
Slaughterhouses had a veterinarian present during the Muslim holiday, to check for any violations of the law. In some slaughterhouses, people who nicked the neck before slaughter were sent away since they didn't seem to be skilled enough.
In some cattle slaughterhouses there were problems with the timing mechanism which ensures that the animals were fully dead. Those animals had been stunned. In some cases the animals weren't transported by the rules and the drivers were fined.
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The Alderman for Diversity in Antwerp (Belgium), Monica De Coninck, reported that fewer sheep were slaughtered (NL) in the city this year. Muslims in the city could slaughter their sheep in three slaughterhouses, one which was set up for the occasion. Altogether, 3,670 were slaughtered, 334 fewer than last year. Abdellatif Akhandaf of the municipality says that it's possible that people slaughtered their sheep elsewhere, and that there are now more alternatives for slaughtering one's sheep. One such alternative is a gift. The city encourages this option in its contacts with the Muslim community.
Ghent also offered a regular slaughterhouse (150 sheep slaughtered) or a "do-it-yourself" area (1200 sheep slaughtered). Slightly more sheep were slaughtered in the city this year.
In Brussels, Perrine Marchal of the municipality, reports they see an increasing demand every year. Four years ago 300 sheep were slaughtered and this year there were 548. They think that it's because people don't slaughter at home as much.
