Slaughtering of animals in religious rites
 

"Religious rite" are a series of procedures for slaughtering of animals that are made for religious reasons in accordance with certain religious rites of the religions that are officially recognized in the Republic of Macedonia.
When slaughtering animals in religious rites:

• During the slaughter process, the animals should be spared from distress, pain or suffering.
• Slaughtering, killing, and accompanying operations in slaughterhouses are performed only by professionals in a way that avoids unnecessary pain, distress, or suffering.
• Slaughtering of animals outside the slaughterhouse is allowed only if the animals show no signs of deteriorating health and the meat is intended exclusively for personal use in their own household.
• Animals are killed only after their stunning in accordance with the approved stunnning methods as referred in the Rulebook on the manner and treatment of animals during the killing, where the animals must remain stunned until their death. The most commonly used stunning method in practice is electrical stunning or with a penetrating captive bolt.
• As an exception in case of slaughter in religious rites the stunning methods may not be applied if the slaughter is done in a slaughterhouse and after prior approval by the Food and Veterinary Agency.