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Agriculture Victoria is investigating an alleged illegal abattoir operating on the outskirts of Melbourne, after receiving graphic video of sheep being slaughtered without being stunned.
The distressing vision shows fully conscious sheep writhing in a metal cradle after having their throats cut, sometimes taking minutes to die.
The video, obtained by an animal rights activist, also shows a number of alleged food safety breaches, including workers butchering meat in their street clothes, and cats and a peacock wandering in and out of the shed while slaughtering is taking place.
The video was part of a complaint lodged on Wednesday by Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick.
Mr Meddick said while there were numerous alleged biosecurity breaches, his chief concern was what he called "gross breaches of animal welfare" — specifically, the failure to comply with rules for slaughter that require animals to be stunned before being stuck with a knife to prevent a slow and painful death.
