Slaughterhouse

(1) Except in the case of wild animals which may be shot in the bush no person shall kill or slaughter any animal or turtle the flesh of which is intended for human food in any place within or within one mile beyond the limits of the city of Belize other than in the Slaughter House. 208 Belize City Council (2) The Slaughterhouse shall be opened on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on every other day of the week Sunday included, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. No animals shall be slaughtered after 12 noon on Saturdays or 6 p.m. on any other day of the week. Turtle may be slaughtered from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. on every day of the week and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon also, provided however that in the case of turtle to be slaughtered between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. that it shall be inspected the previous day, and no turtle shall be slaughtered until it has been so inspected and approved by the Clerk of the Market, or some other officer of the Council designated in that behalf. (3) The Assistant Clerk and Cleaner of the Market shall be responsible to see that all turtle slaughtered between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. daily were duly inspected the previous day, provided always that with the consent in writing of the Clerk of the Market these hours may be altered for any special occasion or under such circumstances as he may think fit. (4) No person shall kill or slaughter any animal in the Slaughterhouse unless such person– (a) has been licensed by the Council as in this by- law provided that his licence has not been cancelled; and (b) has in his possession while engaged in the Slaughterhouse a valid certificate of health duly signed by a Government medical officer or by a registered medical practitioner in the form prescribed in the Ninth Schedule to these By- Laws that he is free from any infectious or contagious disease and is in a fit state of health to be employed in the Slaughter House, such certificate to be valid only for the ninety days immediately succeeding the day on which it was Ninth Schedule. Belize City Council 209 dated and signed by a Government medical officer or a registered medical practitioner. (a) Any person applying for a licence as a butcher shall produce to the Clerk of the Council a certificate from the Clerk of the Market to the effect that he has demonstrated his ability to be a butcher and a certificate, not more than three months old, from a registered medical practitioner that he is in good health and free from any contagious or infectious disease and is a fit person to be licensed as a butcher, provided that it shall not be necessary to produce the certificate of ability in the case of renewal of a license. Upon production of the aforementioned certificates and on payment of a fee of three dollars the Clerk of the Council shall grant such licence to the applicant. (b) Any person applying for a licence as a butcher’s assistant shall produce to the Clerk of the Council a certificate, not more than three months old, from a registered medical practitioner that he is in good health and free from any contagious or infectious disease and is a fit person to be licensed as a butcher’s assistant. Upon production of such certificate and on payment of a fee of one dollar and fifty cents the Clerk of the Council shall grant such licence to the applicant. (c) All licences granted under paragraphs (a) and (b) hereof shall expire on the 31st day of December of the year in which they are issued and shall not be transferable. 210 Belize City Council (6) Any licensed butcher or butcher’s assistant who– (a) has been convicted for cruelty to animals while being slaughtered; (b) is guilty of uncleanliness, non-compliance with these By-Laws, disorderly or unseemly conduct within the Slaughter House; (c) fails to comply with any lawful directions given by the Clerk of the Market or a meat inspector, shall be liable at the discretion of the Council to have his licence as a butcher or butcher’s assistant, as the case may be, suspended for such period as the Council may, think fit, or cancelled, in addition to any other penalty which he may incur. (7) A register of all licensed butchers and butcher’s assistants shall be kept in the office of the Council and shall be open to inspection by the Director of Health Services or any sanitary inspector. (8) The Director of Health Services, any sanitary inspector, or the Clerk of the Market may at any time require any person who has killed or slaughtered, or who is killing or slaughtering, or who is about to kill or slaughter any animal in the Slaughter House to produce his certificate of health for inspection by the Director of Health Services or sanitary inspector or Clerk of the Market as the case may be and any person who shall fail or refuse so to produce a valid certificate of health when so required shall be guilty of an offence against this by-law. (9) Animals intended for slaughter shall be tied up at the Slaughterhouse for a period of not less than twelve hours nor more than twenty-four hours previous to being killed, and shall be presented for inspection between the hours of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily except on Saturdays when the animals shall be presented between the hours of 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Should the Clerk of the Market or a Meat Inspector be requested to inspect any animal Belize City Council 211 intended to be slaughtered after the time mentioned above, he shall do so at the Slaughterhouse provided a fee of fifty cents for each animal to be inspected is paid in advance to the Clerk of the Market or the Meat Inspector and a means of conveyance to and from is provided. (10) The Clerk of the Market or a Meat Inspector shall examine the condition of all animals brought to be slaughtered and of all meat intended to be offered for sale and if any such animal or meat shall have any appearance of disease or unsoundness he shall notify the owner thereof and unless and until such animal or meat shall have been approved by a Medical Officer of Health or a veterinary surgeon such animal shall not be slaughtered nor shall such meat be offered for sale. (11) Any person using the Slaughterhouse for killing any animal shall, immediately after slaughtering such animal, thoroughly wash and clean the flooring, tables or other parts of the building soiled by such killing. (12) All meat shall be properly cleaned and dressed before leaving the Slaughterhouse and shall be covered with cloth to the satisfaction of the Clerk of the Market and kept so covered while being conveyed from the Slaughterhouse to the Market. (13) No person shall enter the Slaughterhouse except on business. (14) The fees specified in the Seventh Schedule to these By- Laws shall be paid on demand to the Clerk of the Market for all animals killed at the Slaughterhouse. Seventh Schedule. (15) All meat on which the fees are charged according to weight shall be weighed by the owner or his agent in the presence of the Clerk of the Market and according to his directions. (16) No person shall smoke or spit in the Slaughterhouse. 212 Belize City Council (17) The Clerk of the Market shall attend at the Slaughterhouse as required by the Council and is responsible for the maintenance of order and the general management of the same. (18) A receptacle shall be provided for rubbish or refuse, and no rubbish or refuse shall be thrown or deposited in or about the Slaughterhouse elsewhere than in such receptacle. (19) Any person engaged in the Slaughterhouse as a butcher, or as an assistant or apprentice to such butcher shall at all times while so engaged in the Slaughterhouse be decently and neatly dressed and shall wear an apron made of white material. (20) No person under the age of fourteen years shall be allowed in or around the Slaughterhouse, and no person over the age of fourteen years and under the age of eighteen years shall be in or around the Slaughterhouse except an assistant or apprentice to a butcher in company with such butcher. (21) Any person committing a breach of, or being guilty of an offence against, this by-law shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding twenty-five dollars.