At least two sheep were found to have been illegally slaughtered on a farm in the Ludwigsburg district. The slaughtering took place without the animals being stunned, making it a violation of the Animal Welfare Act and a suspected criminal offense. The police enforcement service was called in to establish the personal details of all those present. The shepherd was banned from any further slaughtering and from selling sheep. The meat was confiscated. Further investigations are ongoing. The farm continues to be closely monitored.
The farm is a hobby sheep farm with 26 sheep. The farm has been inspected several times in the past, most recently on June 12, 2024, and only found deficiencies in the documentation in the stock register. No violations of the Animal Welfare Act have been identified to date.
In the run-up to the Ibrahim Festival, the Ludwigsburg Veterinary Office visited and inspected a total of 50 sheep farms in the Ludwigsburg district on a risk-oriented basis. The livestock owners were informed that both undeclared slaughter and slaughter without stunning were prohibited. The hobby sheep farm was also inspected on June 12, 2024 and the livestock owner was informed.
Background information on the Ibrahim festival
The Ibrahim festival is one of the most important Islamic festivals and will be celebrated in 2024 from June 16 to 20. The festival is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and traditionally involves the slaughter of a ruminant, usually a sheep, goat or cow. The animals must be slaughtered in accordance with religious regulations. Slaughtering animals without stunning is generally prohibited in Germany. Ritual slaughter without stunning is only permitted with a special permit and in compliance with strict conditions. No exemptions have been granted in the Ludwigsburg district.
