Suche
Mein Konto
Court decides on controversial videos from Oldenburg slaughterhouse
Civil trial in Oldenburg: Animal rights activists in focus after secret slaughterhouse videos. Decision expected on July 14, 2025.
Court decides on controversial videos from Oldenburg slaughterhouse
Two animal rights activists are currently on trial in Oldenburg, a trial that is drawing a lot of attention to the practices in German slaughterhouses. Today, July 14, 2025, the Oldenburg Regional Court's decision on the lawsuit brought by a slaughterhouse operator against the activists of “Animal Rights Watch” is expected. In April 2024, they were able to illegally break into a slaughterhouse in Lohne and secretly make video recordings of the CO2 stunning of pigs. NDR reports that ...
The trouble is obvious: the slaughterhouse operator is demanding 98,000 euros in damages and a ban on the distribution of the videos, which, he argues, have significantly damaged his reputation. The footage shows pigs being herded into a gondola and stunned with highly concentrated CO2, a method that is permitted by law but remains controversial among the public. Süddeutsche describes that...
Animal protection or animal cruelty?
However, the activists refuse to be intimidated and have campaigned in a dunning process, citing the rejection of a settlement. In her opinion, the public has a right to the images that show the brutal reality behind the scenes of the slaughterhouses. Animal rights activist Anna Schubert, who was on site at the nighttime action, gives voice to this opinion by rappelling down into the deep shaft of the stunning facility and talking about the “black box” of the slaughterhouses. NDR reports that ...
Another central point in the process is the question of whether CO2 stunning constitutes animal cruelty. The slaughterhouse operator argues that the intruders should have no respect for other people's property. In addition, CO2 stunning is controversial among experts because it can cause stress in animals and is seen as an uncompassionate way to send them to the slaughter. Süddeutsche describes that...
The legal basis
What many may not know: In Germany, Paragraph 5 of the Animal Protection Act applies, which requires anesthesia for painful procedures on animals. Animal welfare organizations and veterinarians are called upon to ensure that the well-being of the animals is maintained. According to tierschutzgesetz.net, every procedure that involves animals must follow strict regulations. This means that all interventions - be it medical treatments or slaughter - must be carried out with appropriate anesthesia.
In 2021, over 42 million medical procedures were carried out on animals in Germany, which illustrates the massive impact of the current laws. Obligated by the Animal Welfare Act, animal owners must guarantee that their animals do not suffer unnecessarily, which makes this discussion about **CO2 stunning** particularly relevant.
The court's decision is eagerly awaited and could not only have an impact on slaughterhouse operators, but also put the entire issue of animal welfare practices in Germany on the agenda. It remains to be seen how the court will rule here and what consequences this could have for the activists and the slaughterhouse operators.