Home animal slaughtering is set for reconsideration

By Charles Sercombe
It looks like the city council is poised to allow home animal slaughtering for religious observances.
A proposed amendment to the city’s animal ordinance will be considered at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The proposal would allow home animal sacrifices, but with several stipulations.
They include:
o Notifying the city clerk’s office at least one week prior to when you will sacrifice the animal.
o Schedule an appointment to have a city inspector to inspect your property to make sure animal waste was properly disposed of.
o Pay a fee (yet to be determined) at the time of the inspection.
o Erect a barrier to prevent the public from viewing the sacrifice.
o Failure to comply with the regulations comes with various fines.
The council has been pressured in recent months by those of the Muslim faith who have demanded that they be allowed to carry out this practice, which for many happens only once a year for Eid.
Those opposed say the practice will lead to unsanitary conditions in the city and could harm the public health and safety. Critics have also called the practice “barbaric,” which some in the Muslim community say is racist.
There is no apparent state law preventing the practice.
The sacrifice usually involves lambs or goats, although the ordinance does not limit what animal can be slaughtered as long as it complies with state law.
However, household pets, such as cats and dogs cannot be sacrificed. But apparently the ordinance does leave the door open to cows, pigs, horses, fowl and so on.
State law also has strict rules on cruelty to animals, meaning the sacrifice must be done humanely.
Councilmember Amanda Jaczkowski has been adamant in making sure that there are regulations to allow the practice.
Tuesday’s action is just the first step in adopting he ordinance. It must go through a public hearing, which will likely take place at the next city council meeting, which is scheduled for Dec. 27 at city hall, starting at 7 p.m.
The public is allowed to speak on the matter.
Posted Dec. 10, 2022