Hong Kong, as an international metropolis, consumes a significant amount of meat daily; however, society knows little about the suffering endured by the “economic animals” that provide us with meat during their final stages of life. The current Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Chapter 169) was not initially designed to protect farm animals, leading to severe legal gaps for pigs, cows, chickens, and other food animals during transportation, handling, holding, and slaughtering processes. Our research posits that a civilised society should not only focus on the welfare of companion animals but also ensure that those animals sacrificed for human existence are spared unnecessary suffering and torment at the end of their lives. This is a matter not only of animal welfare but also of food safety, public health, and societal moral standards.

Legal Lag and Severe Disconnection from Reality

The existing legal framework in Hong Kong offers minimal protection for economic animals. Although the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance prohibits “cruelty,” its provisions are vague and are rarely applied to animal production. On the other hand, the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations and its subsidiary Animal Holding Facility Regulations do address animal transportation and slaughtering, but their legislative intent is to ensure meat hygiene and prevent disease transmission rather than to consider animal welfare. This misalignment in legislative

spirit has resulted in regulation standards that are severely outdated, failing to reflect fundamental understandings of modern animal welfare science. For instance, the regulations lack specific technical standards that centre on animal welfare regarding vehicle design, loading density, travel time and rest periods, responses to extreme weather, and pre-slaughter handling methods. This legal vacuum effectively condones the suffering that is prevalent in the industry but remains unseen by the public.

Welfare Deficiencies During Transport and Slaughter

During transport, both local investigations and overseas studies indicate that animals often face immense stress and injury on their way to markets or slaughterhouses. Crowded loading spaces can lead to animals trampling each other, suffering from heat stress, dehydration, and injury. Improper vehicle designs, such as slippery floors, lack of proper barriers, or poor ventilation, can further exacerbate the animals’ fear and suffering. More worryingly, at that time, there were no laws in Hong Kong to limit the maximum duration of land transport, meaning animals could be confined in compartments for extended periods, enduring extreme physiological and psychological distress.

The issues related to the slaughter process are even more critical. The core of humane slaughtering is to end an animal’s life in a state of complete unconsciousness and without pain. However, local investigations have found that, in some slaughterhouses, animals face extremely inhumane treatment before slaughter. This includes using inappropriate tools like electric prods for herding, causing severe distress in the animals; stunning equipment may not be properly maintained or operated, leading to inadequate stunning effectiveness. There is evidence indicating that the voltage settings for electric stunning used on pigs are sometimes below internationally accepted effective standards, meaning some animals may experience bleeding and dismemberment while still conscious. Such suffering is beyond imagination. Additionally, systemic issues such as excessively fast slaughter line speeds, insufficient employee training, and lack of welfare oversight substantially undermine the principle of “humane slaughter” at the execution level.

Beyond Ethics: The Chain Reaction of Welfare Deficiencies

Neglecting the welfare of economic animals results in consequences that extend beyond ethical concerns. Firstly, from an animal welfare perspective, severe and prolonged stress can significantly affect meat quality. When animals are in fear and pain, they secrete large amounts of stress hormones like adrenaline, leading to rapid depletion of muscle glycogen and resulting in dull, tough, and easily perishable meat known as “dark,

firm, dry” (DFD) meat. This directly harms consumer interests and food safety. Secondly, inhumane operational environments can have negative impacts on the mental health of slaughterhouse workers and may increase the risk of workplace injuries. From a broader perspective, as global consumers become increasingly concerned about the ethical sourcing of food, Hong Kong’s lagging standards in this regard may also affect its international image.

Policy Reform Recommendations: Establishing a Comprehensive Welfare System

To address these issues, the Research Department of the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals proposes the following specific policy recommendations aimed at systematically improving the welfare of food animals at the end of the supply chain:

• Initiate Dedicated Legislation
  The government should draw on the provisions regarding economic animals in the UK’s Animal Welfare Act or refer to relevant EU directives to formulate a local Animal Welfare for Economic Animals Ordinance. This should be independent of the existing public health framework, with a clear legislative purpose of safeguarding animal welfare, setting legally enforceable minimum welfare standards for all aspects, including transportation and slaughter.
  
• Develop and Enforce an Animal Transport and Slaughter Code of Practice This code should be based on modern animal welfare science and include highly practical detailed regulations. For example, it should specify maximum time limits for transporting various animals and necessary rest and hydration arrangements; outline specific design standards for transport vehicles; establish required rest times for different species before slaughter; and strictly regulate the specifications for stunning equipment, calibration frequency, qualifications for operators, and operational procedures to ensure immediate and effective stunning.
  
• Establish Independent, Transparent, and Effective Monitoring Mechanisms
  It is recommended to form an independent committee comprising animal welfare experts, veterinarians, and representatives from civil society organisations to conduct unannounced inspections of licensed slaughterhouses. Additionally, all slaughterhouses should be required to install CCTV monitoring systems in critical areas, with recorded footage retained for a certain period for review—this would serve as a strong deterrent against unethical behaviour.
  
• Enhance Professional Training and Public Education
  The government should fund and regulate mandatory animal welfare training courses for slaughterhouse workers, making this a necessary condition for operational qualifications. Simultaneously, public education initiatives should be launched to raise awareness among citizens about the concept of “humane slaughter,” foster more responsible consumer awareness, and enable market demand to drive industry reform positively.

Conclusion: The Ethical Obligation of Attention Beyond Silence

The suffering of food animals occurs outside of public view, but this does not mean we can remain silent about it. Incorporating animal welfare into the regulation of economic animal production is an inevitable trend in modern societal development. As a wealthy and developed society, Hong Kong has the resources and capability to make significant improvements in this area. We call upon the SAR government, Legislative Council members, industry representatives, and all citizens to address this long-neglected issue. Through legislative reform, stringent regulation, and public education, we can not only alleviate the suffering of countless animals but also measure and enhance the civility and compassion of our society as a whole. It is time to grant the final journey of these silent lives the respect and protection they deserve.