Scottish Government have launched a consultation on compulsory CCTV in abattoirs. The consultationopened yesterday (28 March 2018) and will run until 20 June 2018, collecting views from relevant stakeholders to refine policy in this area.
BVA and the Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) have been campaigning across the UK for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses covering all areas where live animals are kept, as well as full and unrestricted 24/7 access to CCTV footage for Official Veterinarians (OVs). New legislation to introduce mandatory CCTV in all abattoirs across England will come into effect in May 2018.
Melissa Donald, President of BVA Scottish Branch, said:
“We’re delighted that Scottish Government have launched this consultation on the introduction of mandatory CCTV in abattoirs. Although a high percentage of abattoirs in Scotland already have CCTV, there are no rules governing how the footage is used or kept.
“Official Veterinarians carry out an essential role in slaughterhouses by independently assessing and reporting breaches of animal welfare, and unrestricted access to CCTV footage will allow them to carry out this role even more effectively. We look forward to responding to the consultation and seeing the results in the future.”