Thecounciladdedthatwhiletherewerelawsrequiringthat
stunning be conducted effectively and withoutunnecessary
painbyskilledpersonnelusingproperequipment,“wearenot
satisfied that they are adequately enforced.”^136
Sincethatreportwaspublished,aseniorBritishscientisthas
raiseddoubts aboutwhetherelectricalstunning is painless,
evenwhenproperlyadministered.Dr.HaroldHillman,reader
inphysiologyanddirectoroftheUnityLaboratoryinApplied
NeurobiologyattheUniversityofSurrey,notesthatpeople
whohaveexperiencedelectric shock,eitheraccidentally or
during electroconvulsive therapy for mental illness, report
great pain. It is significant, he points out, that
electroconvulsive therapy is now normally administered
underageneralanesthetic.Ifelectricshockinstantlyrendered
the patient incapable of feeling pain, this would not be
necessary. For this reason, Dr. Hillman doubts that
electrocution,usedasamethodofcapitalpunishmentinsome
Americanstates,ishumane;theprisonerintheelectricchair
may for a time be paralyzed, but not unconscious. Dr.
Hillman thenturns to electric stunning in slaughterhouses:
“Stunningisbelievedtobehumane,becauseitisthoughtthat
the animals do not suffer pain or distress. This is almost
certainlyuntrue,forthesamereasonsashavebeenindicated
fortheelectricchair.”^137 Soitisquitepossiblethatslaughter
is notat allpainless, evenwhenproperly carriedout in a
modern slaughterhouse.
Eveniftheseproblemscouldbeovercome,thereisanother
problem with the slaughter of animals. Many countries,
includingBritainandtheUnitedStates,haveanexceptionfor
slaughteraccordingtoJewishandMoslemritualsthatrequire
theanimalstobefullyconsciouswhenslaughtered.Asecond