1806

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 666

Maryland Wholesome Meat Act — Humane Slaughter of

Livestock

FOR the purpose of requiring certain slaughtering
establishments to conform to certain standards when
slaughtering livestock , with an exemption; permitting
the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture to withhold
certain inspection services from establishments which
fail to conform to humane slaughtering requirements;
and generally relating to the Maryland Secretary of
Agriculture's authority to require establishments to
conform to humane slaughtering standards.

BY adding to

Article - Agriculture
Section 4-132 4-123.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1974 Volume and 1978 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article — Agriculture

4-132 4-123.1.

(A)   THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECLARES IT IS THE POLICY OF
THIS STATE TO PREVENT INHUMANE METHODS OF SLAUGHTER OF
LIVESTOCK AT ANY OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OR EXEMPT PLANT AS
PROVIDED IN THE MARYLAND WHOLESOME MEAT ACT CUSTOM SLAUGHTER
HOUSE AS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE.

(B)   IN AN OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OR EXEMPT PLANT

CUSTOM SLAUGHTER HOUSE, THE SECRETARY SHALL INSPECT THE
HANDLING OF LIVESTOCK IN CONNECTION WITH SLAUGHTERING.

(C)   AT AN OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OR EXEMPT PLANT

CUSTOM SLAUGHTER HOUSE, LIVESTOCK MAY ONLY BE SLAUGHTERED
ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING:

(1)   ANIMALS ARE TO BE RENDERED INSENSIBLE TO
PAIN BY A SINGLE BLOW OR GUNSHOT OR AN ELECTRICAL, CHEMICAL
OR OTHER MEANS THAT IS RAPID AND EFFECTIVE, BEFORE BEING
SHACKLED, HOISTED, THROWN, CAST, OR CUT; OR

(2)   IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RITUAL REQUIREMENTS
OF THE JEWISH FAITH OR ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS FAITH THAT
PRESCRIBES A METHOD OF SLAUGHTER WHERE THE LIVESTOCK SUFFERS
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS BY ANEMIA OF THE BRAIN CAUSED BY THE
SIMULTANEOUS AND INSTANTANEOUS SEVERANCE OF THE CAROTID
ARTERIES WITH A SHARP INSTRUMENT AND HANDLING IN CONNECTION
WITH SLAUGHTERING.