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A Devon slaughterhouse where undercover film revealed cows being hit with pipes will not be prosecuted – but it has been ordered to improve.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched a probe after anti animal-abuse organisation Animal Aid released footage taken at the abattoir run by PJ Hayman, in Ottery St Mary.

Animal Aid installed secret cameras inside the slaughterhouse to capture the images which appears to show animals being struck.

But the Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to prosecute, though an FSA inspection has resulted in the business being slapped with an “improvement necessary” order after concerns were raised about staff levels of competency, animal suffering and methods and instruments used for moving animals about the premises.

(Image: Animal Aid)

PJ Hayman, which supplies up-market butchers across Devon, has always denied wrongdoing and said the film showed methods used across Europe.

Its small slaughterhouse only operates two days a week and is monitored by vets and inspectors.

Phil Hayman, who owns the abattoir, said he was not surprised that legal action would not be taken, and said about the video: “There was nothing on it.”

But he stressed he no longer controlled activities at the slaughterhouse and said: “I’m the owner but I don’t run it any more.”

Steps have been made by Plymouth Live and Devon Live to contact the new manager but without success.

However, Animal Aid has said it is “very disappointed” no legal action is being taken and “quite staggered” that the abattoir could be classed as needing improvements without being prosecuted.

It said the way animals were treated on the video, obtained via secret filming over two days in summer 2018, was “worrying” and showed an “already horrific slaughter process” made more stressful for cattle.

Animal Aid said its concerns were “largely mirrored” on an online industry forum.

(Image: Animal Aid)

The group was motivated to obtain the footage because members were keen to reveal “the reality” of small-scale slaughterhouses, which are often seen as more humane.

Tor Bailey, Animal Aid campaign manage, said the organisation still has “grave concerns” about animal welfare in slaughterhouses and added: “Animal Aid is hugely concerned consistently failing slaughterhouses are simply allowed to go on with no serious action taken in order to address root causes of problems that are compounding the suffering of animals being slaughtered.

Who are Animal Aid? Animal Aid is an organisation which campaigns peacefully against all animal abuse, and promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle. It advocates that people turn to a vegan diet, eschewing all meat and dairy products. Since 2009 Animal Aid has filmed inside 14 British slaughterhouses, finding evidence of lawbreaking in 13 of them. It opposes intensive farming, vivisection, commercial horse racing, certain aspects of game bird shooting, and calls for "tolerance, compassion and a willingness to concede space to the natural world".

“It is terrible enough that animals should find themselves being needlessly killed, let alone with basic welfare standards being neglected.

“But even when regulations are being followed, slaughterhouses are violent, merciless places and we’d encourage all who care for animal welfare to adopt a vegan diet."

Animal Aid stressed it has a strict investigations policy which adheres to biosecurity measures, obtains access to premises without causing any damage to property and seeks to ensure that no stress is caused to animals at sites visited.

(Image: Animal Aid)

Since 2009, Animal Aid has filmed inside 15 British slaughterhouses, finding evidence of lawbreaking in 13 of them.

In March 2018, covert recordings by Animal Aid led to the conviction of two slaughtermen for causing unnecessary suffering to animals in Yorkshire.

PJ Hayman became the 15th slaughterhouse where footage has been obtained by “brave Animal Aid investigators” who placed covert cameras inside.

Environment minister Michael Gove has ordered all slaughterhouses to install CCTV cameras after animal abuse was exposed in a number of undercover stings.

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