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Slaughterhouse in Wathba set to open

The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City is all set to open another high-tech and modern Dh160 million slaughterhouse in Al Wathba — a facility which will provide a quality experience for visitors and animals alike.

Wathba Modern Slaughterhouse Complex on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Highway, with facilities of slaughtering, operation, maintenance and cleaning works, is expected to start operation in the first half of this month.

Director of Public Health at the Municipality Khalifa Al Rumaithi said the new facility promotes modernity and will provide best practices in animal welfare: “Wathba Slaughterhouse is the first of its kind in the region in terms of equipment and modernity. The Dh160 million worth facility includes (a) modern shopping mall comprising 20 outlets, two markets for sheep and camel sale, with 48 livestock barns.”

He said both markets were designed as per the global standards out of the Municipality’s keenness to provide the best health stipulations and the highest standards of animal welfare, besides providing a comfortable shopping experience to livestock market visitors. Both markets are also fully-air-conditioned.

“Wathba Slaughterhouse Complex gives value-added to the overall excellent array of municipal services owing to its modern and advanced fixtures, be it in terms of installations and infrastructure therein, or health stipulations that govern the slaughtering and skinning procedures. In addition, the facility is also intended to maintain (a) sustainable environment and achieve the Municipality’s mission of providing best-in-class municipal services,” added Al Rumaithi.

He said as part of the Public Health Division’s plan aimed at converting all manual abattoirs into modern automated slaughterhouses, work is up and running to establish Shahama Modern Slaughterhouse as well as to serve the residents.

“The Slaughterhouses Section is currently exploring the possibility of using alternative and clean energy to operate as many of its facilities as possible. It is expected to finalise the building, construction and preparation works and put the facility under investment and operation in the second half of 2014,” said Al Rumaithi.

The section is also in the process of a and increasing the number of livestock selling barns at Bani Yas Slaughterhouse site due to the increasing demand to rent livestock barns.

“The health and veterinary capabilities together with the ongoing modern inspection on slaughtering and meat processing in Abu Dhabi slaughterhouses are capable of meeting the communal health safety, upgrading the level of public health standards and protecting community members from health risks resulting from the unsystematic slaughtering of livestock in places other than designated sites,” assured Al Rumaithi.

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