Nature

Undercover Footage Reveals Severe Pig And Cow Cruelty In Dutch Slaughterhouse

Leaked footage of a slaughterhouse in the Netherlands taken by an undercover animal activist has revealed evidence of animal brutality with employees beating pigs to death and cutting cattle necks with knives.

Previously uncovered footage from the Gosschalk slaughterhouse, located in the town of Epe in the Netherlands, shows proof of extreme animal cruelty inflicted by the employees who are filmed beating and electrifying helpless cattle and pigs.

At one point in the video an employee can even be seen cutting the neck of a defenceless cow while his colleagues are laughing in the background.

Pigs beaten and tortured in Gosschalk slaughterhouse in the Dutch city Epe. (Varkens in Nood/Newsflash).

The horrific images came to the public’s sight after an animal rights organisation Varkens in Nood (Pigs in Need) activist who was not named by local media worked undercover for 20 days at the large slaughterhouse.

The man, who reported that up to 5,000 pigs and 600 cattle are slaughtered in the factory on a daily basis, had secretly made images and videos witnessing the electric shocks and paddle hits which the animals endured.

He then forwarded the evidence to the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) who agreed that the cruel acts were “completely unacceptable” and immediately put the slaughterhouse under stricter supervision.

Pigs beaten and tortured in Gosschalk slaughterhouse in the Dutch city Epe. (Varkens in Nood/Newsflash).

This is not the first time the Gosschalk slaughterhouse has been reported or fined for animal welfare-related violations.

However, slaughterhouse officials claimed they were shocked by the cruel events which took place under the company’s roof and said: “We really care about this. Everyone in our company must realise that abuse is unacceptable.”

In addition, the employees in the video have been suspended whilst the paddles have been banned for future use.

Pigs beaten and tortured in Gosschalk slaughterhouse in the Dutch city Epe. (Varkens in Nood/Newsflash).

The company also confirmed they would significantly reduce the slaughter capacity adding: “The existing surveillance camera system will be upgraded and expanded. The monitoring of the cameras will also be doubled. The aim is to prevent repetition.”

A NVWA spokesperson said: “The way these slaughterhouse workers treat animals is completely unacceptable. And they know that too. We have discussed this issue with the sector and we all think that animal welfare is very important. What we see here absolutely does not fit in with it.”

The Varkens in Nood (Pigs in Need) animal welfare organisation has filed a complaint against the slaughterhouse.

Pigs beaten and tortured in Gosschalk slaughterhouse in the Dutch city Epe. (Varkens in Nood/Newsflash).

Varkens in Nood Director Frederieke Schouten said: “We often hear about slaughterhouse abuse. But there are not always reports. These images bring to light the magnitude of the problem. We are very shocked by what we have seen. Gosschalk is now making promises, but these things only happen after brutal acts make it in the news. It’s crazy.”

According to Schouten “the cameras which are being watched by someone from the company should be seen independently otherwise there will be no change.”

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