Animals deemed unsuitable for human consumption are killed at facilities called knackeries, which are similar to slaughterhouses but generally smaller. Their bodies ('carcasses') are used mostly for pet food, but also for fertiliser, bait, farmed animal feed, clothing, and other animal by-products.

Species of animals killed at knackeries include horses, sows (mother pigs), older dairy cows, bulls, buffalos, sheep, goats, camels, kangaroos, deer, donkeys, rabbits, and birds. 1 2 

A report for the National Horse Traceability Project published by Agriculture Victoria in 2022 stated:

"There is limited data on the number of knackeries in Australia. Some estimates of the number of licensed knackeries in Australia vary between 30 and 20. The RSPCA estimated 25 knackeries in Australia. Our conversations with regulators indicated that the vast majority are in New South Wales and Victoria with 10 and 8 knackeries respectively."

Some knackeries receive dead animals who were killed on-farm, while others slaughter live animals. In both cases, the knackery then prepares the animal's body ('carcass') for further processing. This includes skinning the animal and separating the animal's body parts (meat, skin, organs ['offal'], bones, etc), which then go to rendering plants for further processing.

According to the RSPCA, knackeries must comply with their state or territory animal welfare legislation. This legislation may refer to standards and guidelines or codes of practice, in particular, the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Livestock at Slaughtering Establishments.

However, whether the Model Code is compulsory under the animal welfare legislation varies across jurisdictions:

"In SA it is a compulsory code; in Queensland it is voluntary; in WA it can be used as a defence against prosecution; and in NSW, NT, Victoria and Tasmania it is not referenced in animal welfare legislation at all."

"The RSPCA is concerned about the differences in the regulation of Australian knackeries across jurisdictions and the current gaps in those regulatory systems."

In 2021, the RSPCA commissioned a regulatory analysis of animal welfare at abattoirs, knackeries, and poultry processors (slaughterhouses that kill birds, most commonly chickens), in each Australian jurisdiction.

The RSPCA stated; "[The] report found knackeries were lacking in effective and consistent regulation for animal welfare across all jurisdictions."

The RSPCA says:

"The Model Code, which provides the most detail in terms of animal welfare requirements and includes abattoirs, poultry processors and knackeries in its scope, is outdated and unenforceable, due to the discretionary nature of its wording and its lack of reference under legislation in several jurisdictions. 

"There is little to no transparency around animal welfare standards or auditing of slaughtering establishments, especially in domestic abattoirs and knackeries."

Investigations

Undercover investigations 1  2  into Australian knackeries have revealed horrific animal cruelty, including some animals being killed while conscious, meaning these animals would have been terrified and in excruciating pain, both before and during slaughter.

During our investigation into Kankool Pet Food (knackery); sheep were found, on occasion, to not even be stunned before slaughter, having their throats cut whilst fully conscious. Cattle were frequently left writhing on the ground for minutes after being shot, sometimes with clear displays of partial consciousness/sensibility. One large pig was shot 8 times before they died, screaming out in pain after each shot, whilst blood poured down their terrified face.

In 2019, the ABC's 7.30 report exposed the dark underbelly of the racing industry. 

Investigation footage showed ex-racehorses being killed in Australian knackeries, for both pet food sold in Australia, and for export for human consumption overseas, including in Europe.

Professor Paul McGreevy, an award-winning veterinarian and academic who has been studying thoroughbred racehorses for over 25 years, noted in the programme that numerous horses appeared to be killed while conscious. 

To learn more about how ex-racehorses are exploited and killed in Australian knackeries, head to our knowledgebase section here.