Malta Animal Welfare Commissioner: Meat Consumption, Not Halal Certification, Is the Real Issue
Source: Malta Independent
Kawaguchiko, Japan – Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina released a statement Thursday addressing public concerns about Malta’s abattoir receiving halal certification, emphasizing that excessive meat consumption—not halal procedures—should be the primary concern for animal welfare advocates.
“From an animal welfare perspective, the procedures remain virtually identical through this certification,” Bezzina stated on social media. “Halal is not the issue—our exaggerated and continued consumption of meat is the real problem.”
The commissioner acknowledged that her position might draw criticism from the meat industry but maintained, “The truth remains the truth, and I stand by it without hesitation.”
Context of the Certification
Earlier this week, Malta’s abattoir received official certification for halal meat production. Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo presented this development as an opportunity to better serve Malta’s Muslim community while opening export possibilities to Middle Eastern and North African markets.
In response to public reaction following the announcement, Bezzina clarified several points in her Thursday statement:
- Malta’s abattoir has actually been producing halal meat since 2013
- No changes have been implemented in halal slaughtering processes since then
- The recent development simply represents formal certification as an official halal meat producer
- This certification primarily facilitates access to new markets
Similarities in Slaughter Methods
Bezzina, who identified herself as an animal lover opposed to animal cruelty, provided educational details about slaughtering processes to address misconceptions.
According to her explanation, halal slaughtering involves:
- Stunning the animal to render it unconscious
- Making a deep incision in the neck to drain blood
- A bleeding process taking less than a minute before death occurs
Conventional (non-halal) slaughtering follows a nearly identical procedure, with the primary difference being:
- Blood drainage occurs through a single deep piercing of the main artery rather than a neck incision
- This method also takes less than a minute and results in death
Key Differences
The commissioner highlighted only two significant distinctions between halal and conventional slaughter:
- Halal slaughtering is performed by a qualified religious practitioner rather than standard slaughterhouse personnel
- In halal processing, the animal’s blood is completely discarded as part of religious requirements, whereas conventional methods may collect blood for use in other products
She noted that according to meat producers worldwide, “producing quality meat is impossible if the animal dies stressed or if it isn’t bled to death.”
Shifting the Focus
Concluding her statement, Bezzina emphasized that “from an animal welfare standpoint, the procedures are almost identical and have no impact on the animal’s experience.”
She urged animal welfare advocates to redirect their attention to what she considers the more pressing issue: society’s excessive meat consumption habits rather than the specific method of slaughter.
Bezzina called on fellow animal lovers to consider her statement carefully and reflect on these facts “for the sake of education and improving animal lives.”
Original Articles:
independent.com.mt. (n.d.). ‘Halal is not the problem, our exaggerated consumption of meat is’ – Animal Welfare Commissioner. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2025-04-24/local-news/Halal-is-not-the-problem-our-exaggerated-consumption-of-meat-is-Animal-Welfare-Commissioner-6736269589#
