UPDATE: Animal Partisan complaint prompts animal cruelty charge for abuse of lamb at slaughter
CURRENT STATUS: (Closed) Employee convicted of animal cruelty
November 15, 2022
In response to Animal Partisan’s complaint, Pennsylvania State Police conducted an investigation and filed a criminal charge of animal cruelty against the individual involved in the abuse. The case is currently pending before the Magisterial District Judge.
This criminal charge is meaningful as it stands for several important legal principles that are often misunderstood by those tasked with enforcing the law:
Animals used in agriculture are not excluded from protection by state animal cruelty laws: In many cases, law enforcement officials and prosecutors mistakenly believe that because an animal is used in agriculture, they have no protections under the law. This is an incorrect interpretation of the law. Those in the agriculture industry who use animals such as sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, fish, and cattle, and subject to criminal punishment if their conduct violates the law.
Just because a slaughterhouse is inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture does not mean that state animal cruelty laws do not apply: Again, many law enforcement officials and prosecutors incorrectly believe that the USDA has complete jurisdiction over anything that happens at a federally-inspected slaughterhouse. While the USDA has authority of federal laws governing conduct at a slaughterhouse, the agency has no jurisdiction over applicable state laws, such as cruelty laws.
Ritual slaughter laws do not allow abuse: Federal slaughter laws contain an exemption for ritual slaughter that generally does not require an animal to be rendered insensible prior to slaughter. However, that exemption does not allow unfettered abuse of animals at slaughter.
Media Coverage
October 17, 2022
Using a novel legal procedure in Pennsylvania law, Animal Partisan has filed a criminal complaint against a York County slaughterhouse, alleging animal cruelty over the abuse of a lamb during slaughter. The York Country District Attorney will now decide whether to pursue criminal charges against the slaughterhouse and the worker involved.
On March 17, 2022, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector assigned to monitor the slaughter of animals at Dillsburg Halal Meat in central Pennsylvania, witnessed an act of abuse the inspector described as “egregious.” The inspector observed a slaughterhouse worker assisting with the slaughter of a lamb who had been hoisted in the air. The inspector reported that while the lamb struggled after having their throat cut, the worker “made eye contact . . . smiled, and proceeded to kick the lamb very hard in the nose.” When reprimanded by the inspector, the worker “began laughing.”
Despite witnessing the incident firsthand, the USDA failed to take any meaningful action, allowing the slaughterhouse to remain operational with the promise of re-training and monitoring.
While the USDA won’t do anything about this blatant cruelty, Animal Partisan will. Our criminal complaint argues for animal cruelty charges against the slaughterhouse itself and the worker involved. While the worker’s conduct is obvious, USDA records suggest that, through poor supervision and training, the slaughterhouse tolerated an environment where the abuse of animals was condoned. In a local news report, the slaughterhouse owner claimed the worker was simply “checking to make sure the lamb died.”
The York County District Attorney will now review our criminal complaint and decide if charges are warranted. Stay tuned to this page for further updates as this case develops.
View copy of the complaint HERE.
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