Eid Al Adha: Dh20,000 fine against off abattoir slaughtering

A hefty fine up to Dh20,000 shall be slapped against anyone involved in street slaughtering of animals outside the official abattoirs, the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has warned. 
"The fine ranges from Dh5,000 to Dh20,000 as per the nature and repetition of the violation," according toShaimaa Al Tunaiji, Acting Manager of the Public Health Department. 
Slaughtering prices have been fixed, and no increase has been introduced, she added. "There is no excuse as the slaughtering prices of the sacrificed cattle are the same." 
Slaughtering a sheep or goat would cost Dh15 against Dh60 for butchering a young bullock, she explained. "Slaughtering an old cow, camel or bullock stands at Dh100, however." 
The three official abattoirs of Al Filya, Old Ras Al Khaimah and Shawkah, shall start on Monday, September 12, after the Eid Al Adha prayer until 10pm every day, and for three days, she pointed out.
"The three slaughterhouses shall remain open on the second and third days of Eid Al Adha, September 13 and 14 from 6am to 10pm, but these two days will be mainly dedicated for charity societies and associations of public interest." 
The animal market at the Filya area, RAK, will be open from Sunday, September 11 from 5am to 10pm to meet the pressing demand during the high season for sacrificed animals, Al Tunaiji noted. 
"Staff vets will be available at the three official abattoirs of the emirate during the entire Eid Al Adha holiday to examine the animals and make sure they are diseases free and fit for human consumption before and after being slaughtered." 
More municipal inspectors will be deployed to closely monitor and control all the markets, cooperative societies, butcheries, as well as the poultry and fish outlets during the holiday to protect customers' health and safety." 
Warning, Al Tunaiji said the illegal phenomenon of random street-based slaughtering would be fought with no tolerance. "A hefty fine of Dh5,000 to Dh20,000 shall be slapped against illegal slaughtering of sacrificed animals off the set abattoirs of the northern emirate." 
Such malpractices, mostly done by unlicensed street butchers, pose a grave risk to the standards of public health and environment, she added. "Residents here opt to deal with street butchers close to the animal market to avoid shifting the animal alive to the abattoir and waiting in long queues." 
Al Tunaiji said illegal slaughtering proved to be very unhealthy because some of the animals slain were sick and unfit for human consumption. "Therefore, the rigorous punishment is meant to curb this phenomenon and protect consumers." 
The close monitoring, intensified inspection raids, as well as the stringent penalties on both the illegal butchers and owners of the animals enacted have led to a significant drop in the carcass being butchered outside slaughterhouses, she stated. 
"The RAK Municipality provides well qualified and trained vets who thoroughly and accurately examined the carcass before and after slaughtering process to make sure it is disease and infection free." 
"These slaughter houses are fitted out to professionally carry out all slaughtering, skinning, and cutting operations at high speed whereas the slaughtering capacity is normal, and the number of butchers is enough."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com