The role of a Welfare Officer

You recently obtained the ‘Animal Welfare Officer’ certificate. Where does your interest in training to become a welfare officer come from?

Marie: “I developed my interest in the sector early on. As a child, I would go with my father to unload our cattle at the abattoir. This taught me, among other things, that calm animal transport leads to better-quality meat.”

“I'm both an animal lover and a meat eater, and I see a strong link between animal welfare and quality meat. Among other things, that's what prompted me to take the ‘AWO for non-abattoir staff' training at KU Leuven. I completed the course in February 2024 and received my certificate from ‘Dierenwelzijn Vlaanderen’.”

An Animal Welfare Officer in action

What are the responsibilities of an Animal Welfare Officer?

Marie: “An Animal Welfare Officer is the all-seeing eye during the slaughter process. From the pen to the point of slaughter, everything is closely monitored and supervised. Anything that doesn't comply with the rules will be noted by the officer.”

From the pen to the holding area

“Even before the animals arrive at the abattoir, the officer already has a first responsibility. The officer checks that all animal welfare requirements are being complied with and verifies that the animals arrive at the abattoir unharmed and free of stress. If not, the officer will report this back to the haulier and the supplier. The officer is also the one who decides whether to proceed with emergency stunning to relieve the animals of their suffering."

"Just like us, animals also need to recover from a long journey. Whether the animals are allowed to rest for long enough, and whether they're given sufficient space, drinking water, feed, bedding and so on, falls under the officer's supervisory authority.”

From handling to stunning

“Handling means that the barn staff move the animals, since slaughter obviously doesn't take place in the holding area. How staff move the animals matters. Animals may only be driven using paddles, brushes, flags or sticks with ribbons attached. Strict rules apply to rattles and electric goads. Stunning, whereby animals quickly lose consciousness, also calls for strict rules.”

From slaughter to feedback

“Throughout the entire process, the officer stays in contact with the abattoir's management. This allows direct consultation on measures to be taken and responsibilities. The officer will also keep a register of measures taken and report on this every six months to the ‘Dierenwelzijn Vlaanderen’ department. Furthermore, the checks carried out must be demonstrable, which is achieved through this record-keeping.”

Mandatory or optional?

Are abattoirs required to appoint an Animal Welfare Officer?

Marie: “Almost all Flemish abattoirs are required to appoint at least one Animal Welfare Officer. Since 2013, the rule has stated that an abattoir must appoint an officer as soon as it slaughters more than 1,000 livestock units (= 1 head of cattle, 1 horse or 3 pigs) or more than 150,000 head of poultry or rabbits per year."

How do abattoirs approach this?

Marie: “Since an officer must monitor the entire slaughter process, it's advisable to appoint several officers to ensure optimal supervision. In addition, an abattoir can call on an external officer. Whether the officer acts appropriately is checked by the ‘Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain’ (FASFC), together with the ‘Dierenwelzijn Vlaanderen’ department.”

A positive image?

When I think of campaigns run by animal rights organisations, I can see the added value of having an officer like this. But what else makes having an officer worthwhile?

Marie: “Abattoirs would much prefer to stay as far away as possible from campaigns run by animal rights organisations. An officer can play a role here, as they act as an advocate for animal welfare and therefore represent its interests. Consumers, too, are paying more attention to animal welfare, for example when buying their meat. What consumers don't want is PSE meat. PSE stands for Pale, Soft and Exudative and means that the animal experienced acute stress just before slaughter.”

A new Flemish animal welfare label

What does the future hold?

Marie: “The future doesn't look particularly rosy just yet. To keep improving the image of abattoirs, continuous monitoring of animal welfare and training for abattoir staff remain essential. In addition, large retailers are also experiencing greater pressure to pay attention to animal welfare. As of this year, for instance, a new Flemish animal welfare label called ‘Beter voor dieren’ is being introduced.”

What role would you like to play in this?

Marie: “I'm getting on board with a better vision for the future. Initially, I want to step in at abattoirs. I also aim to guide businesses in improving animal welfare from farmer to abattoir. Barn staff, for example, already receive a competence certificate after just one day of training. By supplementing this with tailored practical and refresher training, we can raise their awareness of animal welfare.”

Let’s meet!

AMNorman has a team of 6 Animal Welfare Officers who can act as an AWO in your abattoir, providing permanent follow-up, temporary support, training and advice on animal welfare. Let's meet!