The incoming head of Britain's professional vets body called today for traditional Jewish and Islamic animal slaughter practices to be banned if they cannot adapt to methods deemed more humane.
John Blackwell, president-elect of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said allowing animals to bleed to death for halal and kosher meat caused unnecessary suffering.
In an interview with The Times newspaper, he urged Muslims and Jews to allow sheep, poultry and cattle to be rendered unconscious before having their throats slit.
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If faith groups failed to voluntarily comply, Blackwell wants the British government to consider following Denmark's example and banning the slaughter of animals that are not stunned prior to death.
Blackwell said he respected religious beliefs but "the Danish unilateral banning (was done) purely for animal welfare reasons, which is right.
"We may well have to go down that route.
"It would be more productive if we can have a meeting of minds rather than to say, 'You can't do it'. (Otherwise) a ban may be the only way to move the issue forward."
The Times said more than 6,00,000 animals bleed to death in religious abattoirs in Britain per week, while the halal market was estimated to be worth up to USD 3.3 billion.
It said most animals sold as halal in Britain are stunned before slaughter, which Muslim shoppers did not necessarily know.
Blackwell said halal and kosher slaughter resulted in "five or six seconds" of pain for an animal, which was "too long".
"They will feel the cut," he said.
"They will feel the massive injury of the tissues of the neck. They will perceive the aspiration of blood they will breathe in before they lose consciousness."
Blackwell said that it was "one of the most important issues" on the radar of veterinary surgeons.
The BVA, which represents around 14,000 members, has campaigned for years for all animals to be stunned before slaughter.
The Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim organisation which aims to promote understanding among non-Muslims, condemned Blackwell's comments "without reservation".
"The Muslim and Jewish communities are uniting to take on the bigoted campaign that is trying to ban our right to practice our faith in regards to halal and kosher meat," said chief executive Mohammed Shafiq.
"Some may claim it is about animal welfare but Jews and Muslims know this is an excuse for racism and bigotry.
