Control authorities have identified animal welfare violations at the Aschaffenburg slaughterhouse for several years. This emerges from a request from the Green parliamentary group in the state parliament to the state government. According to the answers available to the German Press Agency, the control authorities have found violations in eleven of 36 controls since 2018.
For example, sick and injured animals were not separated during a check. In addition, the stable was partially overcrowded and heavily contaminated and there was a lack of feed. During another inspection, moldy food was found. Problems with the stunning devices were also noted, according to the report. “We are not dealing with a simple slaughterhouse scandal here. Rather, we are dealing with a criminal system in which violations of the rules are part of everyday work,” said Paul Knoblach, spokesman for animal protection for the state parliament’s Green Party, according to the statement. “The consumer protection minister can no longer pretend that he knows nothing. Action is called for,” said Knoblach. Among other things, the Greens are calling for more staff for controls.
Problems at the Aschaffenburg slaughterhouse became public last summer after video recordings by the animal protection organization “Soko Tierschutz”. The videos showed workers treating pigs and cattle with electric shockers and apparently dismantling animals that were still alive. The public prosecutor’s office is investigating. The city of Aschaffenburg terminated the lease and filed an eviction lawsuit. Similar animal welfare violations were also raised against a company in the neighboring Miltenberg district.
A spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of Consumer Protection said on Thursday that animal welfare violations were unacceptable. If such findings are made, the ministry expects tough and consistent intervention from the responsible authorities. At the same time, he pointed out that the Free State had created around 100 new positions for official veterinarians since 2019. The Control Authority for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (KBLV), a new authority to control complex operations, has also been founded.
The KBLV also announced that it had regularly inspected the slaughterhouse and quickly remedied deficiencies. This is also clear from the answers to the request, said a spokesman. However, the deficiencies identified since 2018 are not comparable to those from the summer of 2023. These were serious animal welfare violations, which is why the operation was immediately banned.