I Investigated a Secret KOSHER Slaughterhouse & Confronted the Owner

Why aren't you telling people you're doing non-stun kosher slaughter here? >> Go that way. >> Who are you working on behalf of? >> The security guard's in the alley. >> Where is he? >> Below you. He's right there. >> This [music] doesn't look like it follows religious law, and it definitely doesn't follow UK animal welfare laws. >> They're on a high alert because they found hidden cameras. >> Kosher slaughter, why don't you tell your customers? >> You [ __ ] heard what I said. >> No, I didn't hear you. >> He's playing silly, isn't he? This one clip would shock the UK. >> Yeah. >> He's right there. >> He's [ __ ] following you. >> He's rushing you. >> My name is Joey Carbstrong. For years, I've been investigating the way animals are treated [music] inside industrial farming and slaughterhouses. I'm not the kind of activist who would shy away from sensitive topics, including religious slaughter. In March 2025, I released a shocking investigation exposing a UK halal slaughterhouse. >> Police are investigating claims of animal abuse. >> It might apparently be quite [music] distressing. >> The response was huge, generating both widespread support, but at the same time, sparking debate. >> The considerable e-petition rating a ban on non-stun slaughter, and that this petition has engaged a very large number of people. >> But one question kept appearing again and again. What about kosher? Have you looked into kosher slaughter? With halal, it was relatively easy to trace the supply chain. Abattoirs would openly advertise that they conduct halal slaughter. And kosher bird facilities were pretty out in the open as well. But when it came to cows and sheep, I just kept hitting dead ends. I'm just wondering where [music] the locations are for kosher slaughterhouses in the UK. You were talking about a large number of animals being slaughtered in this method in this country. And there's nothing on the actual facilities that conduct kosher slaughter. This is This is really difficult. Kosher The and sheep slaughterhouses were nowhere to be found. They seem to be hidden. But where? And more importantly, why? But first, what exactly is kosher slaughter? From what I understand, the kosher slaughter method for meat, known as shechita, is built on a principle to treat the animal with respect, even in death, to ensure only meat deemed free from disqualifying defects is suitable, and to maintain the religious integrity of the process throughout. Generally, kosher beef is sold from the front half of the cow. This avoids the forbidden sciatic nerve in the hind, which is a tedious and costly process to remove. The animal must also be healthy and uninjured at the point of death, meaning any prior stunning is also forbidden. Non-stun slaughter is usually illegal in the UK, but a religious exemption means the practice is allowed. Furthermore, the killing must be done by a certified shochet, authorized by a recognized rabbinical authority. Cows are restrained in specialized equipment, holding the body still and upright. It is claimed this is designed to minimize unwanted complications. And then the cut must be made without interruption in a continuous movement using a handheld knife. But this just raises questions. Is there really a respect for life if only half of the cow is deemed kosher? Where does the rest end up? And most importantly, what are the animals going through to meet this demand? Then it hit me. Wherever kosher slaughter was happening, this machinery would be there, too. And that was something I could find. So, I reached out to my eyes and ears inside facilities across the country, and started building a list of potential locations. Now, it was up to us to work our way through them one by one. >> [ __ ] scary man in there. >> All clear. All clear. >> I get killed, make sure that you make a Facebook post for me. Now, this is um this is probably the creepiest place I've ever been in in pitch black. No eyes, souls. This place is what horror movies are made of. Honestly. Yeah, I'm lost. After weeks of searching, I finally got my first glimpse of kosher machinery. Oh, [ __ ] >> [music] >> When we reviewed the footage, for weeks there was nothing. No activity, just empty rooms and occasional shadows in the door. On the bright side, the method was working. And then, we got lucky. We may or may not have been tipped off um anonymously about some places that are doing a non-stun slaughter, and uh they're sending those animals to be sold as kosher meat. They could be being dismembered [music] fully conscious, so it's a very important that we uh we go and investigate, and that's where we're on our way to now. Hart's Head Slaughterhouse sits high above the town of Mosley, hidden away on the hilltop with a large crucifix out the front. Place was covered in British insignia. Nothing about it indicated kosher slaughter, which was the first thing that confused me. The tip-off was credible, but something doesn't add up. Especially from up here, if less like a slaughterhouse [music] and more like a fortress. Tactical vantage points, cameras covering every corner and security guards on regular patrol. What were they guarding [music] so heavily? But other than that, the plan was simple. Enter through the opening. Reach the kill floor. Place cameras. But in this game, things rarely go to plan. >> Right, boys. >> First, we made our way up the valley. Then we had to squeeze through the car park and the farmer's house on the right. The problem with that is, being up on the hill left us completely exposed. >> Get down. Get down. Get down. >> But once we made it undetected, the next part of the mission begun. >> We have to stay low. Cuz they're just there. >> The workers are just there cleaning. Which will make it even harder to continue without being seen. >> Security guard's there. Security guard's there. He's looking around the fence. >> Workers are arriving for their morning shifts. We're completely exposed. And the service ladder down to the slaughterhouse is just there, but it's too risky right now. >> It's pretty low to the ground here. Someone walking out that door could see us. Watch my back. >> We couldn't get inside, so we tried the next best thing. >> I just set one camera up successfully. >> Staff were arriving everywhere for their morning shift. >> Just too many people see. Go this way. >> Any longer and we're asking to get busted. >> Stay together, boys. >> [panting] >> In the end, I managed to place a few cameras wherever I could. We finally had something. The angles weren't perfect, and most of the slaughter process was hidden from view. But the footage revealed something concerning. In UK slaughterhouses, excessive use of electric prods is illegal. A pattern I'd seen before. Moments like this often turned out to be warning signs. Signs that deeper problems might exist. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's not it's not easy. That's for sure. Crawling right near a bunch of workers. But never lose sight of what this is all about. >> When I was on site, I could hear the cows from the lairage. As risky as this mission was, it put everything into perspective. >> There were we here. >> Like they'd been [music] taken from their home. They didn't know where they were. Like I was tearing up. >> They they're very smart animals and they know that something's not right. >> The cows are sensitive, intelligent beings, emotionally complex creatures. They're timid and shy around strangers. But when they feel safe, are incredibly loving and playful. Just like a big dog. It's horrible to think that just beyond those walls, something unthinkable is happening to them. We had to stop it. The further into the facility we went, the more dangerous it became. That was a bit too crazy even for me. The more people we had in the ground, the higher the risk. So, I changed the plan. I called in more team members and asked them to pull back. Lookouts at five different points on the hill. Drones in the sky. Now, the real mission can begin. >> Got to get in position. Let's go. >> From a distance, they all guided me up onto the roof and down the service ladder and straight into the open roller shutter. Getting inside was only the first part of the mission. I completely underestimated how hard it would be to get the cameras [music] in the right position. >> No. What happened? >> The poles obscuring the kill. >> Uh that [music] is too far. It's not a good spot, this one. Adding to this was the extreme environment. >> Really foggy tonight. I guess it's harder to see. >> It's raining tonight, so be extra careful on the ladder. >> Making it across the roof was sometimes simple. >> I was really calm tonight and just didn't let it spook me that he was there. >> But other times, >> [music] >> it seemed impossible. The roof was at ground level, and if anyone looked up at the wrong time, they'd [music] see me. >> He flashed a torch up there and it shined on the roof. >> The lookouts had their hands full. >> There's a lot of people walking around. I've lost visual on the two workers. >> Adrenaline was high. >> There's a security guard in the alley. Phoenix, do you copy? >> But just beyond that roof was the entry point to pull down the cameras and start all over again. >> My god, we've nearly got him. >> Night after night, we got closer. >> Yeah, that's it, mate. We're going to get you. >> And just when I thought I had the perfect shot >> I believe that it's the I think it's the perfect shot. I think it's the perfect shot. I don't know. I don't know. >> Disappointment. >> No. No. >> We had to continuously step it up a notch. >> Yeah, it's tricky, but I think we can do it. I think I've got a good I think I've got a good strategy here. It's not perfect, but >> New methods, new equipment. >> About to go to [music] do another round. >> What I thought might take days took much longer. >> The date is Sunday, the 15th of February, 2026. >> Nights turned into weeks. >> The date is the 20th of February. >> As you can see, this jolly cop's strong here. >> The 23rd or 24th of February. >> I hope it's the final setup. >> And weeks turned into [music] months. >> I've been investigating this place for a few months now. >> Okay, I just set up four hidden cameras on the kill floor. >> That Monday, March the 2nd. >> Set up four plus one, five cameras. >> Another four cameras. Then the persistence started paying off. >> Oh god. >> These vocalizations were so disturbing. We cannot add them all here. The shots became more and more revealing. >> Oh my god. Oh my god. >> With each new angle giving us a new horrifying glimpse. >> Where's the [ __ ] humanity? Oh my god, man. I can't, dude. I'm trying to [ __ ] sus sus get some sustenance. I don't know. It's making me [ __ ] want to vomit. I can't think about it, man. I can't think about it. This is a going to be a [ __ ] up exposé when we're done. >> And that's what kept us motivated to keep going. >> It's not fear. That's right. You want to do this? You're going to be [ __ ] exposed to the world. >> Now I could see the workers walking around. Something else didn't add up. Not only was there kosher slaughter here, but also halal and standard British slaughter all under the same roof. This isn't what I was expecting. The facility's website doesn't even mention kosher or halal services. It's all very secretive. Could this explain why the place is so heavily guarded? This is what I think's going on. From what I can tell, this is not a kosher facility at all. It's a host. The abattoir provides the space for certified kosher teams who work together with Heartshead staff. It's a business model I've never seen before. But to allow [music] this, Heartshead has to be financially incentivized in a big way. But how? I just keep coming back to the same thing. In kosher slaughter, we know much of the animal is rejected. So the question becomes, where is all that excess kosher meat going? And if it's going where I think it is, this could be a much bigger scandal that could anger the entire country. >> To be honest, that scream has been haunting me. >> We have to film from all angles. It's ambitious, but it's what you have to do in order to in order to really seal the deal. Couldn't let them get away with this. >> Quick, can you talk to me? >> Just be careful, someone is in the alley. >> Um I care more about the screams of those animals than I give a [ __ ] about any personal sacrifice after night. >> Okay, there's two people in the alley, be very quiet. >> I'm going to push the envelope a little bit more. We had so many close calls. >> This is how close they are to me when I'm setting the camera up. >> Holy [ __ ] He's right there. >> Rushes of adrenaline. >> Phoenix, do you copy me yet? Phoenix, we're not in communication. >> It's good exercise. Exercise the bravery muscle. >> He's right inside, he's inside. Oh, Jesus. There's a lot of people in the car park. >> Can you check the road? I'm coming out. >> Oh, he won't really like that. >> The highs of elation successful [music] for us. And the lows of failure. [music] I feel really sad and then wore down the entire team. >> I think we are all [music] feeling really exhausted. >> I can't see what I'm looking at properly. It's just [music] hard and just I get it right, then I get it wrong, then I get it right. The battery [ __ ] up, then the [ __ ] camera [ __ ] up. But, you know. It's almost like we're on a higher than now. It's like [music] back it's just like becoming difficult again. But, we have to pick ourselves up, [music] brush ourselves off. We live to tell the tale. And do it all over again. Where does he live? >> you. >> And then finally we did it. We finally nailed every angle. The main thing is persistence pays off. We knew it was going to be bad. >> Yep, it recorded. >> But we didn't expect it to be this bad. >> And it's a very, very good shot. >> At the start of the day, the cows are forced down a race. >> These cows are extremely fearful at this point. The pointed goad is always um illegal. [music] An electric goad can be used sparingly. >> He's doing it in the cow's He's not allowed to do that in sensitive areas. >> And not with repeated use. >> Every [music] cow, excessive use. >> This failed on all those criteria. >> On the other side, dead bodies and blood are in full view of the cows contributing to their intense fear response. Bellowing, resisting, trying to escape. The worker repeatedly [music] shocks them again with nowhere for the cows to go. Trapped inside a tiny restrainer, the cows thrash, often begging, and licking before their throats are sawn open. >> During this time, there would be substantial responses to the cut that are likely indicative of pain and distress. >> After the cut, the cows continue to gasp, thrash, and struggle, often still breathing, blinking, or vocalizing. >> Whole body shaking, tail wagging, and licking behavior. >> They're dragged out, and he has not even checked if they're conscious, mate. >> Inadequate or completely absent checks for consciousness when systematic checks for consciousness are required. If the few extra legal safeguards put in place with religious slaughter are ignored, the risk of consciousness once hoisted becomes higher. >> Signs of life or consciousness evident, cows were then hoisted. >> The final case of the most serious form of illegality I'd like to mention, inappropriate equipment. >> But many become stuck in the machinery. >> Again, all leading to additional distress for the cows. >> Back-up stuns were used often, but were ineffective and had to be used again and again. >> This is why they don't want no one seeing this now. Look at this [ __ ] >> In the dismemberment area, we see obvious reactions to external stimuli, which include body movement. >> And this was indicated by head lift, continued bleeding. >> This, alongside the absent or [music] inadequate checks, all point to the animals being dismembered whilst alive or likely still conscious. >> Worry that there were cases of neglect, merely scrolling on their phone rather than looking for signs of consciousness in the cows. >> This one clip would shock the UK. >> The non-stun religious slaughter was horrifying, but when we reviewed the standard British slaughter, our jaws dropped. >> They cut their head off in the knock box. >> Our cameras revealed that the same horrific cruelty was not isolated. >> This is standard slaughter as well with a stun gun. >> It's systemic, no matter the method, and all happening under the same roof. >> This guy's come pick it up, throw it on the floor, kicking it on the floor. No respect. >> In all types of slaughter, animals are at risk of regaining consciousness once they are hoisted and start to be cut up. >> And it wasn't just the criminal cruelty that was deeply concerning, but just as morally reprehensible was the extreme suffering that these animals were subjected to that didn't break any UK laws at all. >> When I care for animals, I have the most stringent set of rules to abide by. There are inspections, paperwork, codes of practice, all to make sure they're treated with dignity. >> UK welfare laws, as weak as they are, are supposed to minimize suffering. But with the lack of government enforcement, coupled with high throughput slaughterhouses to meet demand, horrific welfare crimes are inevitable. And then there's the labeling laws, or lack thereof. >> An individual concerned about animal welfare would want to know if an animal has been stunned prior to slaughter. And currently, consumers do not have that information. >> There's no mandatory requirement to label the slaughter method, something we campaigned for for pigs, the majority of whom are non-stunned slaughtered in gas chambers with nothing on the meat label to warn consumers. Witnessing religious and British slaughter all under one roof makes me even more convinced that the concerns about unlabeled kosher or halloumi ending up in supermarkets was more than just fear-mongering. I mean, why wouldn't this be happening when there's no UK labeling laws to compel them not [music] to? After reviewing the footage, there was only one thing left to do. For the last week, I left multiple cameras recording. I needed to go back and get them so we had as much evidence as possible. But when we arrived, something just wasn't right. >> Get in the van. >> Get in here. Oh my >> Oh [ __ ] >> They've got lighting. >> Oh my god, they're using the field. >> Oh [ __ ] the car's coming down here. >> Bobby, Bobby. [ __ ] Oh [ __ ] >> Okay. >> This guy's following us. >> He's [ __ ] following us. >> Yeah. >> Is he right behind us? >> Swerving left and right behind us. >> So they'd found all our cameras and chased us off. Which makes what I was about to do next very interesting. It's that one there, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Buddy, I think you should call the owner of the facility. I've got to speak to him about serious allegations. >> Okay, well, can you please wait over there? >> I have to go to the reception. I know why we're here. He's owner of Hart & Co Meats. Turns over around 70 million pound a year and passed multiple certifications, including the highest rating BRC double A plus, which at this point feels more like a bad joke than a legitimate test of welfare. Because whatever he passed on paper, he didn't pass my inspection. You're the owner of this facility? >> Yeah. >> My name's Joey Carbstrong. >> Right. >> I'm a investigator and filmmaker. >> Right. Yeah. >> I'm here to offer you a right to respond [music] to some serious allegations of criminal animal cruelty taking place at your facility. >> Don't touch my camera. >> I allege to you that the animals here are being chopped up conscious on the kill lines. >> Okay. >> I allege to you that there's inadequate equipment causing animals to get get stuck with their horns inside of the kill box. And I allege to you that the person operating that kill box is using an electric goad excessively. >> Inside. >> Obviously, this is coming out in a very big way and you're in some very serious trouble here. This is a criminal organization here and you're the owner. Are you Are you going to respond to the allegations? >> You're the police, are you? >> Well, well, you're not These are These are criminal These are criminal acts of animal Are you going to answer the allegations? Are you going to answer them to the media when they contact you very shortly? It's He's playing silly, isn't it? We're going to be reporting it to the FSA. >> All right, crack on, boy. >> Crack on? >> Please. >> As the owner, do you realize that you're culpable for the crimes that take place on the kill floor? >> No, till you. >> Why aren't you telling people you're doing non-stun kosher slaughter here? >> Why would we do that here? >> Yeah. >> All right, news to me. >> Kosher slaughter, non-stun, where the animals are being dismembered fully conscious. Why don't you tell your customers? >> We have to get more forceful. >> The next question was obvious. Do their distributors know about this? And what would they do about it? Go to Bert Wistles and and see what they know. Bert Wistles claims to be among the largest catering butchers in the UK, over the years supplying major food outlets, and is also a key distributor of Heart to Head finest quality beef. I'm being it's a serious matter. The animals are screaming and begging in in agony. >> As you were saying, but I've seen no proof, I've got no proof. >> I can show you it right now. >> want to see it. I don't I've got no time. I've got a visitor. >> You don't have time to see the animals being cut up fully conscious that you're selling. >> your details >> And what's your name? You you I'm >> Good afternoon. >> And you're you're one of the people who visited Heart to Head recently. >> Yeah, I did. Yeah. >> Yeah, that's you in the photos. >> That's what you said, yeah. >> And you said you did a a full check of the whole process inside the kill floor and you were very happy with the care the animals were given. >> Yeah, what we saw, yeah. >> And that is the problem. They had already been there and signaled confidence to the consumer. And what And what did you see? >> We saw the animals go to slaughter, didn't we? >> And he uses an electric prod on those animals repeatedly. And they go into a contained area and their neck gets lifted up. >> I know what you're talking about. And the machinery that and the the machinery that lifts the animals' neck up >> Okay, that's something that's far too harsh for us. >> Okay, it's a it's actually a pull for non-stun slaughter that machine. >> What are you working on behalf of? I don't report them to the authorities. >> You're the supply into the consumer, okay? Consumers are buying a product that has is the animals have been treated in a criminal manner. >> either than you what was happening or they didn't, and both are deeply concerning. Then we looked at the local end of the Heart to Head chain because the belief is if you can't trust the big suppliers, go to the local butcher. The owner of this one came outside to confront me. We've investigated Heartshead, and they're cutting up animals alive, cutting up animals while they're conscious. And um yeah, I mean you publicize Heartshead Meats, Heartshead Meats are doing uh criminal animal cruelty. You need to calm down, man. You can just say I'm never using them again after seeing that evidence, or you don't have to say anything. You're earning money off of uh animals being tortured. They're torturing the animals in there, that's it. No accountability. Just 2 days later, they continued to promote Heartshead online. It was business as usual. Even if I grant that these outlets just didn't know, what I found troubling is that even after making them aware, no one led with any real concern for the animals, but rather how this might affect their bottom line. speak to the kosher certifying body here. So there was one place left to turn, the religious authorities certifying Shechita. Cuz if anyone should want urgent answers, it should be the people trusted by the Jewish community to protect the integrity of their faith. Call animal welfare crime in your opinion? Well, no, it's not a crime to do kosher slaughter in the country. It's a crime to violate the animal welfare laws, and I understand that there are exemptions for certain kinds of religious practices, but those exemptions don't cover what I'm talking about. We see your staff in there. Totally impossible, it's not us. Throughout the entire month of February, we're talking about Okay, well then it's very likely that you're in this footage. There is electric prods being used in Heartshead constantly, okay? And that's all been filmed. It definitely is, cuz there's with shakita knives cutting the throat after they've been electric prod. Okay, we've had that the footage analyzed by welfare specialist and it's clear the animals are alive while being dismembered. >> This [laughter] is not what he's talking about. Do what you want. I know there's somebody from the government there always at all times. So, I'm not sure what your problem is. >> Yeah, we we're talking about a very serious matter of if you'd like me to outline it for you. Um >> It's impossible to use the equipment there. There's an inspector there. There's a reasonable slaughter. >> If there's a if there's a there's a FSA officer on site overseeing all this as well. >> Absolutely. >> I can tell you I'm not going to deal with it today. >> Okay. That's your response. No problem. Okay, then this then then that's unfortunate. What is your role at this certification body? >> This is not the way you can call me. >> This concerns your community because this doesn't look like it follows religious law and it definitely doesn't follow UK animal welfare laws which are prosecutable offense is what I'm saying. This is why it's serious. >> What do you want What do you want me to do today? I'm not going to answer you. >> I'm asking for a response and you're not even willing to listen to the crime. >> Okay. That's all I'm saying. I'm not dealing with it today. >> Seems like an inconvenience to you that this matter is taking place. >> I'm doing office hours next week, aren't I? >> Nobody takes responsibility. By this point, the pattern was clear. >> Why don't you tell your customers that you do non-stun kosher slaughter here? >> But what about the mystery meat? Where does it go? 2024 Defra survey asked slaughterhouses where the hindquarters from kosher slaughtered cattle, sheep, and goats were ending up. But the slaughterhouses provided no meaningful information. But the same survey did find that it was not being exported outside of the UK. And for all cattle, 69% of domestic destinations were left unspecified. So, the meat is staying here, but where it goes was unclear to the officials doing the survey. >> With kosher, they don't eat the back half of the animal. >> Yeah. >> And whether that back half of the animal is coming here to be sold without your knowledge. >> got whole lambs in. >> Whole lambs from heartshead. to no beef, no cows. >> All all our cows for men they're using boxes and stuff like that. From Hartshead? >> Yeah. From Hartshead, right? And this is the problem. The butchers have no way of knowing what they're really being sold. It all comes boxed up and unlabeled. And with the slaughterhouse actively concealing their practices >> Kosher slaughter here. >> What do we do that here? >> Yeah. >> All right. News to me. >> Means the entire chain is riddled with barriers, which ensure there can never be traceability or transparency. >> There's non-stun kosher slaughter taking place at Hartshead. Are you aware of that? >> We don't get so it's not >> And you don't buy rump steak from Hartshead? [music] >> Yes, we'll buy rump steak. With kosher they don't use 40% of the animal, the back end. >> So let's piece this all together. If entire carcasses are being rejected for kosher use, and if the hindquarters are always rejected, and if that meat is not being exported, >> [music] >> and if slaughterhouses will not even tell the government where it ends up, and if there's no legal requirement to state the method of slaughter on the label, then where else can it be going other than right back into the UK general food supply? But why hide it? Recent backlash in response to proposed changes to UK meat labeling laws might have just revealed the answer. Tucked away in the 2025 London Board for Shechita report, where it warned that transparent labels may have a detrimental impact on the continued willingness of abattoirs to keep permitting Shechita as part of their business model. That's the point. If the label tells the truth too clearly, the public may reject it. If the public won't buy it, the slaughterhouses can't cash in and may even stop hosting. And then their entire shady business model, which relies on secrecy, falls apart. >> Yeah. >> All right. News to me. >> The entire system is a setup that financially benefits the animal torturers all while leaving you, the consumer, completely in the dark. But this scandal goes even deeper than that. Countless investigations prove this problem is widespread across the entire sector. Humane labels distort our perception as unthinkable horrors take place all whilst government officials look the other way. The meat, dairy, and egg industries masquerade [music] as law-abiding custodians of animals whilst they commit mass atrocities with impunity. They take our money and feed us comforting lies. This was never about attacking any particular faith because we all deserve to be properly informed no matter our background. And the real question isn't which meat label we should trust, but whether we should trust the entire corrupt system at all. But where does that leave you? We all got to eat, but luckily there's one label you can trust. A label that embodies a core principle that aligns with the values of anyone who cares about the animals whom their choices affect. And that label is vegan. This film is a call for not only accountability, but for unity. There are people with their own political agenda who seek to divide us, divide us from the animals, from each other, and from our true nature. Instead, focus on what unites us. Empathy, compassion, justice, our humanity. In times where division is weaponized, we must all rise above, and instead of pointing fingers at each other, stand together against the callous, money-hungry, bloodthirsty deceivers who have treated us all like fools for far too long. Wherever animals are commodified, you can be sure horrors are taking place. And for those of you who are still not convinced, then how many more investigations will it take before you say enough is enough?