A Washington state appellate court unanimously ruled against an animal protection group that tried to strike down as unconstitutional a law protecting religious slaughter. The state law defines severing the carotid artery as a humane method, saying it is “in accordance with the ritual requirements of religious faith,” namely both Jewish and Muslim ritual slaughter.
This decision came several weeks after Holland passed a bill, not yet signed into law, prohibiting kosher slaughter and requiring that stunning be used instead. This bill faces another vote in the Dutch Senate. If passed, an appeal to the European court regarding its legality is likely.
The OU praised the Washington state ruling, commenting that, “We appreciate that elected officials, such as those in the Washington legislature, recognize the humane nature of shechita, and ensure its protection and thereby the flourishing of Orthodox Jewish life.”
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