Animal welfare investigation at Tönnies slaughterhouse

An investigation was launched into the R. Thomsen slaughterhouse in Kellinghusen, owned by the Tönnies Group, following the release of video footage by the organization Animal Rights Watch. The footage, verified by NDR, depicted pigs being mistreated, including being struck, having limbs severed, and falling from hooks. The recordings also raised concerns regarding the use of CO2 for stunning, which a representative described as a “cruel struggle for breath” involving “terror of death and stinging, burning pain.”

In response to the public outcry and criminal complaints alleging improper stunning and violence against animals, the Tönnies Group announced plans to intensify internal monitoring and staff training. While the company attributed the incidents to the misconduct of individual employees, critics have argued that the footage reflects systemic issues within industrial slaughter practices. Veterinary officials noted that the practices shown may violate animal welfare laws prohibiting unnecessary suffering.