David Pritchard cites examples of animal cruelty in horse racing, circus performances and battery farming (Letters, October 7).

To this list should be added ritual slaughter without pre-stunning.

Organisations such as the Farm Animal Welfare Council and the RSPCA have condemned this method of slaughter by religious groups.

A spokesman for the RSPCA declared: “There is no scientific doubt that religious methods of slaughter without pre-stunning do cause pain and suffering.”

Furthermore, meat obtained by this abhorrent method is foisted on the unsuspecting consumer, many of whom would not knowingly buy it.

Some parts of the animal slaughtered for religious groups are not acceptable to them.

Those parts are sold on the open market, appearing in shops and supermarkets with no indication as to the method of slaughter.

Britain should follow the example of other countries such as Holland, Norway and Iceland and investigate this.

WJ MacIlroy, Somerhill Road, Hove