Can an individual kill an animal to eat?
Verified 24 November 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The slaughter of animals intended for human consumption must be carried out in a approved slaughterhouse, where each carcase is subject to a health inspection.
However, the individual raising sheep, goats, pigs, hens or rabbits can slaughter an animal himself if it is intended exclusively for personal consumption :
- You can only slaughter animals yourself which you have previously raised and maintained on site. You can't buy an animal just to slaughter it.
- And the meat and offal of the animal you slaughtered may not be sold or given to a third party. They must be reserved for your personal consumption.
The slaughter of a cow, calf or horse outside an approved slaughterhouse shall be prohibited.
Conditions for slaughter
Slaughter must be carried out in such a way as to avoid any pain, distress or suffering which might be avoided by the animals.
Slaughter outside an approved slaughterhouse must comply with the same rules as in an approved slaughterhouse as regards stunning, slaughtering or killing operations.
The animal must be stunned before being killed in accordance with the methods authorized by the regulations (slaughter without prior stunning is prohibited). The animal must be bled immediately after stunning, in any case before regaining consciousness.
Exercising serious or cruel treatment of an animal domestic, tamed or captive is an offense.
Reminder
You can also have your animal slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse and then retrieve the carcass.
Obligation to declare animals
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Sheep or goats or pigs
The individual who raises one or more sheep or goats or pigs must have their animals identified and register with the livestock establishment (EDE) of their department.
To find out the contact details of your EDE and the procedure to follow, contact the regional chamber of agriculture.
Who shall I contact
You must inform the EDE, within 7 days, in case of acquisition or disposal of an animal. It must also inform the EDE in the event of the death of an animal at the latest when the corpse is removed.
In addition, the individual must also designate a health veterinarian as of 1er animal held on the dedicated form:
Designation of the animal health veterinarian by the animal keeper
The list of veterinarians with the health authorization in your department is available on the website of your prefecture or on request from the Departmental Directorate of Population Protection (DDPP).
The form completed and signed by the veterinarian should be sent to the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP) of your prefecture.
Chickens
The individual who raises one or more hens must declare their animals to the mayor of the place where the birds are kept.