The country will follow English in enforcing the cameras, with politicians saying the law is aimed at ensuring there are 'highest standards of animal welfare'

CCTV is already mandatory in English slaughterhouses (Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

CCTV will become mandatory in areas of Scottish slaughterhouses with live animals under new laws unveiled this afternoon.

The Scottish Government says the legislation will ensure there are 'highest standards of animal welfare' in all abattoirs.

According to Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon, more than 80 percent of slaughterhouses in Scotland have already put cameras in place voluntarily - but she says the new rules, which will be brought forward later in the year, will standardize the quality of CCTV across the nation.

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CCTV for abattoirs in England became mandatory last year, following campaigns by animal organizations and a public consultation.

'Slaughter is never humane'

Vegan organization Animal Aid welcomed the news, but told Plant Based News that it is important to remember that 'slaughter can never be humane'.

"We hope the presence of CCTV will help stop the horrendous and illegal additional abuses revealed time and again by our extensive investigations," Animal Aid Campaign Manager, Tor Bailey, said in a statement sent to PBN.

"It is terrible enough that animals should be at the slaughterhouse at all, without being subjected to being kicked, punched, beaten and burnt with cigarettes to name but a few awful issues we uncovered.

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"But it is important to remember that slaughter can never be humane. Even when no laws are broken, slaughter is a stressful, brutal and violent process. No animal wants to die and there is simply no need to rear and slaughter animals for food, since we can be happy and healthy on a plant-based diet. We urge anybody who wants to help reduce animal suffering to go vegan."