importantexceptionintheUnitedStatesisthattheFederal
Humane Slaughter Act, passed in 1958, applies only to
slaughterhousessellingmeattotheUnitedStatesgovernment
oritsagenciesanddoesnotapplytothelargestnumberof
animals killed—poultry.
Let us consider this second loophole first. There are
approximately6,100slaughterhousesintheUnitedStates,yet
fewer than 1,400 were federally inspected for compliance
withthehumaneslaughterlaw.Itisthereforeentirelylegal
for the remaining 4,700 to use the ancient and barbaric
poleax; and this method is still in use in some American
slaughterhouses.
Thepoleaxisreallyaheavysledgehammerratherthananax.
Thepersonwieldingthelong-handledhammerstandsabove
theanimalandtriestoknockhimunconsciouswithasingle
blow.Theproblemisthatthetargetismovingandthelong
overheadswingmustbecarefullyaimed;fortosucceedthe
hammer must
landataprecisepointontheanimal’shead,andfrightened
animalsarequitelikelytomovetheirheads.Iftheswingisa
fractionastraythehammercancrashthroughtheanimal’seye
ornose; then,as theanimalthrashes around inagony and
terror,severalmoreblowsmaybeneededtoknocktheanimal
unconscious.Themostskilledwielderofthepoleaxcannotbe
expectedtolandtheblowperfectlyeverytime. Asthejob
mayrequirethekillingofeightyormoreanimalsanhour,if
thepoleaxmissesinonlyoneoutofeveryhundredswings,
theresultwillstillbeterriblepainforseveralanimalsevery
day.Itshouldalsoberememberedthattodevelopskillwith
thepoleaxitisnecessaryforanunskilledpersontogetalot
of practice. The practice will be on live animals.