In the most recent observational study by British vets, around 13% of cattle who were subjected to religious slaughter tried to get to their feet *after* their throats had been cut.
Large mammals, cattle particularly, have veins on the back of the neck as well as around the throat – cutting the throat doesn’t kill them instantly and for many means they effectively inhale their blood and still have brain function at the point they are hung up – the brain can take several minutes to lose conciousness.
There’s no need for this to happen and it’s abhorrent – if a surgeon operated on patients without anaesthesia in almost all cases they would lose their right to operate and likewise if pet owners willingnly caused suffering to their companion animals they would be subject to prosecution.
When techniques to avoid this trauma are readily available we should not be making the sort of exceptions to our laws that now mean up to 2/3 of all meat is slaughtered according to religious doctrines that less than 10% of the population follow.
As a bare minimum, consumers need to understand the differences between stunning / religious slaughter and should be able to make choices based on clear labels on food packaging.