How can we justify the unstunned slaughter of animals?

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Shoppers don’t usually know how animals were killed when they buy meat, a report warns (Getty)

I was astonished to read Jane Dalton’s exclusive in the Christmas edition (‘Nearly 100 million animals a year killed while conscious’). As a long-term committed non-meat eater, it was a tough enough Christmas read. But for the carnivores among your readers it must have been a massive shock to learn that about 100 million animals each year are needlessly slaughtered without being stunned.

The realisation that, in our supposedly civilised society, we actually allow any animals to be slaughtered while conscious has filled me with horror and shame. A number of more enlightened nations in Europe, including Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, have, it seems, found it possible to totally outlaw such inhumane, unstunned slaughter.

I cannot believe that Jesus would find the suffering of innocent animals acceptable. Let’s stop this barbarity now.