17 November 2010

Belgium: Half of Muslims don't reject stunning before slaughter

Half of Belgian Muslims either support or are neutral regarding stunning animals before slaughter, a third think it's unacceptable, according to a survey by Insites for the animal-rights organization Gaia. The survey was conducted among 261 Belgian Muslims before the Muslim Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice).

Belgium allows animals to be slaughtered without stunning only for religious slaughter.

The official standpoint of the Muslim Executive and imams in Belgium rejects stunning, in contrast to countries like Saudi-Arabia and Indonesia.

The survey shows that 21% of the Muslims support stunning and 30% are neutral. 36% say stunning is unacceptable, even among the most practicing Muslims, only half reject stunning. 38% think that the Koran expressly forbids stunning animals before slaughter. [Islam in Europe] Read more