Aiming to curb abuse cases at the country’s slaughterhouses, the Israeli’s Agriculture Ministry has ordered the installation of cameras at all facilities. The devices will stream live footage to a central ministry control room, reports the Jerusalem Post.
The ‘smart camera’ system, which will include about 400 cameras and 50 digital recording systems at about 50 slaughterhouses, will be filming workers as they handle animals on a 24/7 basis, says the Agriculture Ministry. A supervisory team from the ministry’s Veterinary Services will be tasked with monitoring the video feed from the cameras at the central control room, the ministry adds.
“Our inspection of slaughterhouses is rising to the next level,” Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel said. “We were witnesses to various severe cases at slaughterhouses around Israel. On the one hand, we cannot generalize, but on the other hand we must increase monitoring and enforcement or else these cases will not change.”
Ariel first called for the installation of cameras as well as the control room’s establishment after Channel 10 aired a report revealing abusive activities at a Soglowek poultry abattoir. The continuation of a Channel 10 investigation shows images of employees dancing in circles with chickens and throwing them around to each other as if they were balls.
By installing cameras and heightening supervision at the country’s slaughterhouses, ministry officials expresses their hope that the suffering of the animals will be minimized.
In order to expedite the matter, the ministry is currently publishing a tender for the supply, installation and maintenance of the cameras. Over the course of 2016, all slaughterhouses and facilities that produce animal food products should have the systems installed.
“Installation of cameras in slaughterhouses is a critical step that will increase control and deterrence,” Ariel says. “I have no doubt that the move will protect animals and prevent cases of abuse that should not happen
this is going on in America also and has came up in a Supreme Court ruling that they aren't unconstitutional
