Overview
- The Landestierschutzverband Niedersachsen, which filed Wednesday, sued the Vechta district veterinary authority to challenge its permit for carbon‑dioxide stunning at the Brand slaughterhouse in Lohne.
- Plaintiffs say CO2 causes burning pain in eyes and airways, panic, and gasping before loss of consciousness, and they argue this violates German and EU rules that require animals be spared avoidable suffering.
- Scientists at the Friedrich‑Loeffler‑Institut and the veterinary group TVT report that inert gases such as argon or nitrogen reduce signs of pain and fear, though they require longer exposure, cost more, and are not yet ready to roll out at scale.
- The meat industry’s trade body defends CO2 as an EU‑permitted, widely monitored system that allows group stunning and faster throughput, a stance highlighted in coverage that also notes state guidance on gentler handling.
- About 80% of pigs in Germany are first stunned with CO2, so a ruling expected in one to two years could drive broad changes, while a separate damages case over 2024 undercover video from the same plant heads to appeal in late April.