The Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines slaughterhouse, in Savoie, was targeted by an investigation by the L214 association. It reports offenses committed by showing animals still alive during bleeding.
“Those lambs over there, they’re so cute, […] it’s better not to look at them too much.” These words, spoken by a veterinarian in charge of animal protection, attached to the prefecture of Savoie, set the tone of the investigation of the L214 association carried out in the Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines slaughterhouse, in Savoie. The images shot on site between August 29 and October 1, 2024, by a hidden camera, notably show a series of animals hanging by their legs, about to be “cut up while still alive”. All the facts revealed present serious signs of offenses. As reported by L214, sheep and cattle are always conscious and panicked at the time of slaughter, also witnessing the death of their fellow animals.
However, current regulations require animals to be housed in an “accommodation area adapted to their needs”. It must be “as calm as possible to allow them to rest”. Subsequently, the stunning is carried out by a “competent” operator who must carry out “checks to verify the real loss of consciousness and sensitivity of the animals”. In the video, the animals still show “characteristic signs of consciousness.” Hanging on the end of a metal hook, some kick with their paws while trying to struggle. According to the association, “at this stage, they should already be dead, as required by law.”
Faced with these “findings of non-compliance”, a judicial investigation was launched, indicates the Savoie prefecture. Pending an “in-depth analysis”, the activity of the Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines slaughterhouse has been “suspended”. Located in Maurienne, it is managed by agricultural cooperatives, breeders and butchers close to the establishment. One of its leaders, Lionel Rittaud, is the president of the bovine inter-professional association (Interbev) in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
“Super U”, “Intermarché” and “E.Leclerc” supermarkets are affected
The State services responsible for applying the regulations relating to animal protection (DDETSPP 73) plan to go to the scene “as soon as possible”, adds the prefecture. It affirms that “appropriate follow-ups will be implemented concerning the slaughter conditions, the documented procedures and the system of monitoring and self-control of these procedures by the slaughterhouse”.
According to L214, this establishment supplies several stores attached to the department including “Super U, Intermarché and E.Leclerc”. “Local butchers” will also get their supplies there. In September, the association had already denounced the breeding conditions of Côtes-d’Armor pigs supplying E.Leclerc supermarkets for its Repère brand and the butchers in its stores. The president of the company, Michel-Édouard Leclerc, had already been informed of the “horror” experienced thanks to the association’s previous investigation, published in March. The group recalls that to date, “E.Leclerc has not committed itself against the worst practices of breeding and slaughtering pigs, and that the brand continues to endorse methods causing acute suffering to animals” .
Bérénice Riaux, in charge of L214 investigations, underlines the recurrence of these acts of cruelty: “This slaughterhouse is the fourth that we have identified in the space of a year”. Faced with this observation, the organization calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Anne Genevard, to “conduct an internal audit in French animal slaughter establishments to take stock of slaughter conditions” and to report these “public” reports.