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29 March 2024

Tougher penalties for illegal slaughter

Rumaithi said the Municipality has just completed a Dh140-million abattoir in the western town of Wathba to raise the total number of abattoirs in the emirate to five. (SUPPLIED)

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By Staff

Abu Dhabi is planning to introduce tougher punishment against people who slaughter cattle and other animals in the public as this causes diseases, a municipal official was quoted on Saturday as saying.

The new penalties could include referring persons involved in such activities to court as a criminal case for the first time in the emirate, said Khalifa Al Rumaithi, director of public health at the Abu Dahbi Municipality.

“Slaughtering livestock and other animals in public outside the authorized abattoirs in the emirate will spread serious diseases to humans,” he told the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad.

“We are planning to increase the fines against such practices and turning them into criminal cases that will be referred to court in order to put an end to these activities and protect public health and the environment.”

Rumaithi said the Municipality has just completed a Dh140-million abattoir in the western town of Wathba to raise the total number of abattoirs in the emirate to five. He said they can handle up to 350,000 livestock heads per year.

Rumaithi’s statements come ahead of an expected surge in slaughter of sheep and other livestock to meet a sharp increase in demand for meat during Eid Al Adha, which is expected around mid November.