Mandatory CCTV regulations laid before Senedd following RSPCA campaign

CCTV will need to be installed by all abattoirs as of May 1 if approved

CCTV is set to become mandatory in abattoirs in Wales, in a move which will improve animal welfare.

Last May, the Welsh Government confirmed it would develop regulations following a relevant consultation, and after a lengthy campaign from RSPCA Cymru.

Now regulations, which will require closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to be installed in all slaughterhouses in areas where live animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned, have been laid for the Senedd’s approval.

Senedd Members must now approve the regulations before they become law.

The regulations include requirements for recorded images to be retained by the slaughterhouse operator for a 90-day minimum period, and made available to authorised persons, which will come into force in November, if approved.

As part of the successful RSPCA campaign calling for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, 15,943 responses were sent to the Welsh Government during the 12-week consultation – showing the huge support for animal welfare and for the introduction of CCTV.

There were 16,014 responses in total to the Welsh Government’s consultation.

The charity believes compulsory CCTV will help ensure welfare standards, provide reassurances to the public and act as a useful training tool for staff.

RSPCA Cymru’s senior public affairs manager, Billie-Jade Thomas said: “We are very pleased to see these regulations laid before the Senedd – and urge Senedd Members to support them.

“By making CCTV compulsory in abattoirs across Wales, it will help to protect and safeguard the welfare of animals at the time of slaughter right across the country.

“We would like to thank each and every person who took the time to support our campaign and ultimately show the Welsh Government that this is something people very much care about.”

RSPCA Cymru has long called for CCTV to be mandatory in Wales’ abattoirs, and polling has shown 82 per cent* of the public support the charity’s call for action.

The Welsh Government previously announced £1.1 million of grant aid for small and medium size slaughterhouses to – among other things – support the “installation and upgrading of CCTV monitoring systems” – though this was not made a mandatory requirement at that time.

CCTV in slaughterhouses is already a mandatory requirement of the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards, which are used by the RSPCA Assured higher welfare certification scheme, and has been in England’s abattoirs since 2018.

This year the RSPCA celebrates its 200th birthday. To mark this special anniversary the animal welfare charity wants to inspire one million people to join their movement to improve animals’ lives. To find out how you can join their million-strong movement for animals visit www.rspca.org.uk/200.