Illegal abattoir found in Swieqi valley

Joseph Borg

Dec 19th 2009, 15:22

@Domnick Bezzina

Kummenti bhal tiek ikomplu jhallu l-poplu malti jidher injorant u mitt sena lura.

Jalla dawn in nies arrestati jduqu mqar n-nofs tas-sofferenza li gaghlu l-dawn l msieken annimali jaddu minna.

A.A. Hussain

Dec 18th 2009, 18:12

While I certainly find it a case of 'illegality, and a monumental disregard for basic hygiene,' please do not exaggerate the 'cruelty and savageness' thing, and it is useless and irrelevant to associate it, or not, with Halal, Kosher... or any other historical/traditional/cultural form (with which I do not agree) of killing animals and preparing meat...it is all killing, for personal consumption of the human race, in a modern, fully-automated specialised place, as much as in this abandoned farm in Swieqi..and as much as in some waste land, in a remote, poor village in a backward non-Western country, according to its local form and method...Now, in reality, only a 100% real vegetarian can complain about it, and feel sorry for it...

Peter Gee

Dec 18th 2009, 15:43

Are we supposed to be congratulating the police force for tracking down this illegal abbattoir. Apparently, they hadn't a clue of what was actually going on. How can this kind of activity take place undetected in such a locality as Swieqi! The mind boggles to think of what might be going on in the more rural areas!

Abner Grech

Dec 18th 2009, 13:49

Buckets of blood found! Hmmm....got me thinking. Maybe these were going to be for production of the maltese 'Mazzita' with dried fruit and mandarine peel. And maybe we would have found some illegal maltese produce 'kirxa' on the market. Apart from the arguments of being illegal and animal cruelty which I believe are petty arguments from a sophisticated society that permits baby killings and kills us slowly with an ever more polluted environment, I ask, why do we import tasteless 'mazzita' and 'kirxa' from abroad and throw away all the blood and useful remains of the maltese produce at our Slaughter House in Malta and throw paint on it so that it is contaminated? Is there something wrong with our cows and meat? Do we have EU standards at the Slaughter House? Do we prefer to import than to use our produce? What is the reason for such waste? I smell something fishy here.....or meaty shall I say?

Matthew Muscat

Dec 18th 2009, 13:32

@ R. Azzopardi

Why don't we move with times IN ALL ASPECTS?!

Richard Galea

Dec 18th 2009, 13:29

According to Islam....A sheep or any other creation has the right to appeal directly to God Himself if it is not slaughtered in a humane way...

Richard Galea.

steve elliott,uk

Dec 18th 2009, 11:31

i will bet my fairy on the top of my Christmas tree they are not europeans

K.Littlejohn

Dec 18th 2009, 11:12

Can someone please clarify that this 'slaughterhouse' was not for the selling of halal meat?.. Just asking!

A. Grech

Dec 18th 2009, 11:01

Most comments below are inappropriate since, as presented in the article, the slaughterhouse held no licence which would ensure that the place is kept according to regulations and that anything being disposed of is done correctly. No racism, no cruelty to animals here. You have to kill to eat meat, if selling it there are regulations one needs to adhere to.
A point on animal cruelty:
Animal lovers and Vegans have a right to choose their way of life, i, being omnivorous (like all humans), accept who i am and wish not to be regarded as a monster for eating meat, or for slaughtering a live animal, e.g. a rabbit (my favorite). I can assure you that although any death is momentarily painful it is only a question of seconds, not to say two seconds. I do so because i am sure to skin and clean the animal better than anyone else without dirtying the meat. Some people may not have the guts to do it, others see it as brutal, but its all a matter of opinion. Slaughtering (well) an animal does not constitue animal cruelty. Finally slaughtering is a skill and therefore good to know.

R. Azzopardi

Dec 18th 2009, 11:01

@Dominic Bezzina

The "traditional way" as you so put it may have been acceptable in times gone by. It no longer is. we've moved with the times and I seriously suggest that you do so too. Apart from the brutality of it all, did you see the absolutely filthy conditions?

Eric Gahn

Dec 18th 2009, 10:27

What no one seems to be asking here is what nationality were the men who were caught doing this? I do not know of many maltese who eat sheep but other cultures value it. Times can we get some more detail on this please.

Kenneth Cassar

Dec 18th 2009, 08:40

@ Joseph Cauchi:

"The animal rights campaigners should not only focus their protests against circus animals, but also on animals like cows, pigs… living in such inhumane conditions in our "supposed up to EU standard" farms!".

Protests are only made against activities that are legal but deemed immoral by the protesters. Protests are either organised to inform and persuade the public not to support practices that are deemed immoral by the protesters, or else to pressure government to legislate against such practices. The circus is a case in point...legal but deemed immoral by the animal rights protesters.

In the case of illegal activities, protests serve no purpose. In such cases, what needs to be done is to report to the police the illegal activities. It is only if no action is taken that protests would be necessary.

M Farrugia

Dec 17th 2009, 21:57

@J. Cauchi, I urge you to pass on the information and details about the farms you mentioned without giving any details. Give details to the Animal Welfare Department or any NGO and I can assure you that action will be taken. Animal Welfare groups co-operate with the Animal Welfare department and will pass on the information to the right person. It is no use to throw general statements and no reports are made to the right officials. If you really love the animals I urge you to report the case and it will be investigated.

GS Darmanin

Dec 17th 2009, 20:29

@ Mario Micallef I am impressed by the patriotism shown by comments like yours who make it look that illegal, inhumane and other similar occurings does not happen in any other civilised country including the most advanced EU countries. Xi whud ihossuhom vera komdi jmaqdru pajjizhom f'kollox :-(

m bagley

Dec 17th 2009, 20:07

The animals would have probably ended up as hamburger meat......

brian vella

Dec 17th 2009, 19:37

@joseph cauchi Maybe he is one of those who decides to go and live near a farm and then afterwards these people start complaining about their surroundings...... Just for your knowledge these cow farms today are according to EU regualations !!!!! and i assure him that the animal and welfare department and other agencies are doing their job well So if you live near a dairy farm HU pacenzja !!!!!

K Muscat

Dec 17th 2009, 19:21

Kemm intom nies ghoggieba!! Nahseb kolla bid-dmugh f'ghajnejkom tkunu meta tmorru tixtru min ghand tal-laham. @All those saying that this wasn't humane: Can you please explain how you can kill something/someone humanly??

Anthony Formosa

Dec 17th 2009, 18:36

The only wrong doing that I can see is that he slaughters an animal in a non hygenic place. Apart from that animals are slaughtered daily without mercy. People are still slaughtering rabbits or maybe a chicken at home so what is the problem? Sheep for religion purposes are also slaughtered in millions, perhaps even in Malta. Oh before I forget, 25 million babies are slaughtered every year, only in Europe.

Isabella Peresso Fiorentino

Dec 17th 2009, 17:24

Dusty Williams - PLEASE don't insult the pigs - they really are intelligent animals. And as for these prsons, I just hope they will eventually get what they really deserve, not in this life, but the next. They will obviously be let off with a silly fine, we all know that.

Joe Morana

Dec 17th 2009, 16:45

@ Dusty Williams:

Sir, you will never find PIGS in a clandestine operation such as this one, I assure you! Pigs are anathema in the environment that this 'abatoir' appears to have been operating.

L. Attard Bezzina

Dec 17th 2009, 16:39

@ jc and others..All those who are privy to instances of animal cruelty and illegal slaughtering houses should call the Animal Welfare office on 25904132 / 113. You will be helping these poor animals. Your particulars will be kept secret, so don't shy away, do your thing man. And what about the moaners? I am still waiting to see their comments on this blog.

Domnick Bezzina

Dec 17th 2009, 16:21

Oh dear!! can't believe all this fuss for some lamb killed in our traditional way. Nothing beats some freshly made 'mazzita'. In old days nothing went lost even the intestines & skin were used to make instruments (zaqq). L'aqwa li irridu naghmlu show b'kull ma naghmlu halli nidhru tal moderni.

adrian aquilina

Dec 17th 2009, 13:09

oh dear!! cant believe this was happening..stick them all in prison..im sure nothing was done in any humane manor and hate to think how the animals were kept and killed.best find the horse and make sure it is ok..the inhumanity and cold nature of this makes it hard to want this type of person on the streets..nasty

Joe Galea

Dec 17th 2009, 13:05

red-handedly indeed!

L.Attard Bezzina

Dec 17th 2009, 11:58

Well done to the dedicated animal wefare officers and their director. More government officials of this calibre and dedication are needed. Prosit actions speak louder than words !

Joseph Cauchi

Dec 17th 2009, 10:59

Well Done; to the Animal Welfare Department for their efficient action!

How about some inspections to cow farms to check in what state some of these poor animals are in, even when they are housed in EU specifications farms?

The animal rights campaigners should not only focus their protests against circus animals, but also on animals like cows, pigs… living in such inhumane conditions in our "supposed up to EU standard" farms!

Although some cow-farms have these monstrous new cow-sheds (EU requisite), still some cows are still being housed in the old previous shacks and in very dubious sanitary conditions.

Check Salina/Maghtab/Bahar ic-Caghaq, please!

JC.

O Galea

Dec 17th 2009, 10:55

OMG..... STEJJER TAL-WAHX....
and i don't suppose they were slaughtered in a "humane" way either... :-(

well done to the animal welfare people

s sammut

Dec 17th 2009, 10:32

Hope these men will be arranged in court, get the right deserved sentence and not just some 200 EUR fine! This event shows the pure greed for money!

Mario Micallef

Dec 17th 2009, 10:27

Only in Malta!! :))

dusty williams

Dec 17th 2009, 10:25

PIGS!