PETA files criminal complaints against three of Germany's largest slaughterhouses
"There is no 'reasonable justification' for killing for meat" — this message was projected by PETA onto the facade of the Premium Food Group (formerly Tönnies) slaughterhouse in Rheda-Wiedenbrück during the night from Sunday to Monday.
This was followed by video footage showing the suffering inside a German pig farming facility.
The action is part of PETA's current campaign against unjustified killing of animals, in the course of which the organisation has also filed criminal complaints.
Under § 17 No. 1 of the Animal Welfare Act, the killing of vertebrates constitutes a criminal offence — unless there is a reasonable justification for doing so. What may qualify as such, however, must be interpreted by the courts. The animal welfare issue is also pervasive within the meat industry.
In Germany, approximately 2.8 billion land and aquatic animals are killed annually for human consumption. Can the purpose of human nutrition constitute a reasonable justification? PETA says no. In their legal arguments, the animal rights organisation's lawyers refer, among other things, to the fact that it is easily possible in Germany to maintain a healthy diet without meat. Following intensive examination of the legal framework, PETA filed criminal complaints last week, supported by the Hamburg law firm Günther. Criminal complaints for the unjustified killing of animals on a scale of millions were filed against the individuals responsible for the killing process at three of Germany's largest slaughterhouses. The operations belong to Premium Food Group (formerly Tönnies), Westfleisch SCE mbH and VION N.V. (Vion Food Group).
«The Animal Welfare Act requires a reasonable justification in cases where animals are killed. This reasonable justification does not exist when animals are killed in order to process them into sausages or steaks. It is entirely possible to eat healthily without meat — if not even more healthily», said Krishna Singh, legal counsel and head of the legal department at PETA. «It is a scandal that an existing legal provision for the protection of animals has been consistently ignored since it came into force. We have therefore filed criminal charges against those responsible at three of the largest German slaughterhouses. Further complaints will follow.»
The Accused
The slaughterhouses whose responsible employees PETA has reported belong to the following companies: Premium Food Group (formerly Tönnies), reported to the public prosecutor's office in Bielefeld (location of the slaughterhouse: Rheda-Wiedenbrück); Westfleisch SCE mbH, reported to the public prosecutor's office in Oldenburg (location of the slaughterhouse: Bakum); VION N.V. (Vion Food Group), reported to the public prosecutor's office in Traunstein (location of the slaughterhouse: Waldkraiburg; registered office: Netherlands).
Legal Background: PETA's Arguments
Section 17 No. 1 of the Animal Welfare Act states: «Whoever kills a vertebrate animal without reasonable justification shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years or with a fine.» The provision thus establishes a rule-exception principle. The killing of an animal can only be justified if the responsible person has a reasonable justification for their action. A reasonable justification can only be affirmed in individual cases if it is weighty enough to outweigh the animal's interest in survival. However, humans do not need to kill other animals in order to ensure their survival — they can also maintain a healthy diet through plant-based food sources . Allowing the balance to tip categorically against animals is therefore unjustifiable.
PETA Animal Rights Conference: Killing for Reason?
The sixth PETA animal rights conference will be broadcast on 19 March 2025 at 6 p.m. on PETA's YouTube channel. Under the motto «Killing for Reason?» the debate will last 90 minutes, examining whether it is justified to kill animals for food purposes. The option of a plant-based diet will also come into focus, as will its influence on the definition and interpretation of reason. Particular attention will be paid to how to deal with the law and possible violations thereof.
PETA's motto is: Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or exploit in any other way. The organisation campaigns against speciesism — a form of discrimination in which animals are devalued on the basis of their species membership. More on animal rights.
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