Should religious animal sacrifices be allowed?

In an ongoing review of city ordinances, a thorny controversy has unexpectedly been stirred.
Recently, the city council considered a revision of an ordinance governing animals, specifically which kinds of animals are allowed to be kept, people to keep and how they are to be treated.
A point of contention is whether to allow the slaughtering of animals, such as goats, at one’s residence as part of a religious practice.
Some in the Muslim community want to allow this practice for Eid.
There are some who say this would be highly unsanitary or would pose a clear and present health and safety issue for humans and pets.
As a result, the council sub-committee studying the ordinance will continue to tinker with it.
We don’t envy their task.
Further adding to the confusion is a 1993 US Supreme Court ruling allowing religious animal slaughtering, because that is protected under our First Amendment right.
As it stands now, there are some households in the city that do slaughter animals in their backyards for religious reasons. Some of those folks have been fined when code officials or police officers who happen to see it.
There has been a suggestion to create a designated area to accommodate this aspect of religions.
While the Muslim community wants to be able to do this for Eid, what about other religions, as one resident pointed out?
Say one person practices an obscure religion that calls for sacrificing an animal several times a year, or even every day?
Like we said, this is one ball of confusion.
We have to keep in mind that, while we must respect the various religions people practice, it must be balanced with the health and safety of the entire community.
We have to admit also that Hamtramck doesn’t have a sterling track record of clean yards and alleys.
Good luck with this juggling act.
Posted Aug. 19, 2022