Duck slaughterhouse Tomassen Duck-To from Ermelo is stopping its activities because the sale of duck meat has collapsed since the corona outbreak. “This is an excellent opportunity to end this cruel industry for good in the Netherlands,” says Erwin Vermeulen, campaign leader from the Dutch animal welfare organization Animal Rights.
For now, no more new ducklings will be placed in the approximately 50 duck sheds. They will still kill the ducks that are there now and freeze their bodies.
The duck sector is very dependent on restaurants for the sale of meat. Tomassen Duck-To is the only duck slaughterhouse in Northwestern Europe and mainly sells meat to Asian restaurants in Northwestern Europe.
“Ducks in The Netherlands live in terrible conditions in closed sheds,” Vermeulen says. “They are not allowed to go outside because of their vulnerability to bird flu. Besides that they never see daylight, they also have no access to swimming water.”
Dutch government inspection reports indicate that animal welfare is regularly at stake in the duck slaughterhouse.
The company is seeking help from the government to overcome this period, but Vermeulen thinks the government should not pump money into the survival of this industry but take the opportunity to end the duck industry in the Netherlands.
Compassion is needed for all our animals