Kaiserslautern Slaughterhouse Workers Sentenced for Animal Cruelty Violations

Three employees received reduced penalties in an appeal trial, while the business owner was acquitted of oversight failures.

The Landgericht Kaiserslautern convicted three former workers of the Härting slaughterhouse for violating animal welfare laws during slaughter operations in late 2021.
Sentences included suspended prison terms for two employees and a fine for a third, with the harshest penalty being an 18-month suspended sentence for a worker cited for showing 'particular callousness.'
The company owner was acquitted due to insufficient evidence of failing to uphold supervisory responsibilities.
The case was initiated after undercover footage from animal rights activists revealed instances of improper slaughter practices, leading to the facility's closure in November 2021.
Criticism arose over the judicial process, including the use of a non-independent expert witness and the limited scope of charges brought by prosecutors.