Animal rights group L214 has filed a legal complaint against the Perpignan slaughterhouse La Catalane d'abattage following an investigation that allegedly documented severe animal cruelty.
Following the legal filing, the prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales ordered an immediate full inspection of the facility, while slaughterhouse management suspended staff members implicated in the footage on a precautionary basis.
The legal complaint, obtained by news agency AFP, accuses the facility of acts of cruelty, severe abuse, and ill-treatment of animals. It follows an undercover investigation conducted by L214 between May and July 2026 after the group received a tip-off.
Video footage and photographs published on the L214 website show cattle slaughtered by throat-cutting without prior stunning, pigs struck with fists, and animals being carved up while still alive and conscious.
According to the legal filing, animals endured deaths of extreme violence due to repeated infractions. The complaint noted that livestock panicked, attempted to escape, received continuous blows, struggled, and raised their heads showing clear signs of consciousness while suffering prolonged agonies before being cut up alive.
Undercover Investigation Exposes Facility Defects
Sébastien Arsac, director of investigations for L214, told AFP that animal welfare violations at the site stemmed in part from structural design flaws in the facility itself.
Arsac explained that animal restraint systems were inadequate, allowing livestock to break free from restraining traps and run loose inside the facility, leading to chaotic conditions where animals were bled directly on the ground.
In a statement, L214 highlighted that La Catalane d'abattage was built in 2015, noting that the site is not an old facility reaching the end of its operational lifespan.
The legal filing also noted that the slaughterhouse company holds an Ecocert certification for organic production, which verifies adherence to European organic agriculture standards.
Calls for Closure and Government Inspection
Arsac argued that the precautionary worker suspensions ordered by management were insufficient to address the severity of the abuses, declaring that the Perpignan facility must be shut down.
He stated that slaughterhouse management must guarantee proper training for employees or ensure that slaughter practices strictly comply with European Union regulations, which mandate that animals must be spared all avoidable suffering during slaughter.
The prefecture of Pyrénées-Orientales confirmed that an immediate, comprehensive inspection would be conducted by inspectors from the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection, the local agency responsible for veterinary and food safety oversight.
La Catalane d'abattage did not immediately respond to requests for comment when contacted by AFP.
Background and Animal Welfare Policy in France
L214 is a French animal rights organization recognized for its undercover video investigations inside slaughterhouses and livestock farms, aiming to expose animal cruelty and advocate for legal reforms.
Perpignan is the capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales department, located in the Occitanie region of southern France near the border with Spain.
The legal action coincides with broader debates over animal welfare policy in France. On July 28, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled an 11-point plan intended to step up measures against animal abuse, though L214 publicly noted that the initiative did not include any provisions for livestock animals.
