WITH the approach of the Eid Al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice, unlicensed butchers and livestock vendors have started rearing their ugly heads once again in many parts of the Kingdom in the absence of effective official monitoring. Even though local authorities have been making periodic rounds and have closed down several unauthorized outlets in the past, the vendors are quick to return as and when opportunities arise, Al-Riyadh daily reports. Residents of Riyadh's eastern districts have complained about the large number of unlicensed slaughterhouses and sheep pens that have come up in their neighborhoods in recent days. They say the slaughterhouses and sheep pens pose health and safety risks and fall far below acceptable hygiene and health standards yet they do brisk business thanks to consumers who are willing to pay above market prices for quick services. An eyesore, the slaughterhouses are a breeding ground for insects and disease-carrying rodents, and veterinarians routinely caution the public against going to unlicensed slaughterhouses, which often slaughter diseased animals. At legal slaughterhouses, sheep and cattle are examined before being slaughtered and certain parts such as the liver, lymphatic gland, intestines and gallbladder are tested before being cleared.
Black market
Muhammad Ali sells sheep at unlicensed slaughterhouses for SR300 higher than the actual market price. He said the closer it gets to Eid, the more people are willing to pay. “The prices of sheep go higher with the advent of Eid Al-Adha holidays. They range normally from SR950 to SR1,280 but sometimes reach as high as SR1,600,” he said while adding inspection raids by the authorities are not as frequent as they used to be. One local resident who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed illegal expatriates run the slaughterhouses and he questioned why they are allowed to sell sacrificial animals at above market rates without any official body taking action. Nasser Al-Enezi lives near several unlicensed slaughterhouses. He asked why such places never fall under a municipal inspector's radar and why no one is monitoring their activities. “Residents have complained several times about the odor emitted from these places and the public health risks they are exposed to. The concerned authorities should act fast to control this situation before Eid Al-Adha holidays or else these places will turn into dangerous zones for public health. A quick visit will reveal how sheep skins are tossed on the streets and how other unused parts are accumulating near the dumpsters,” he said. Viral infections
Mesfer Al-Qahtani has also complained about the constant odor and accumulated garbage near his house. He described how butchers toss away garbage bags full of animal skins in broad daylight. “They throw them in residential garbage cans in total disregard for the health of the people who live in the neighborhood. I know some people who contracted viral infections and experienced chest and allergy problems because of these illegal slaughterhouses,” he said. When asked about the dangers of throwing animal carcasses and leftover parts in residential area garbage bins, workers in the slaughterhouses insisted they posed no risk to human health. One of them agreed that the smell inside the slaughterhouse was intolerable but workers get used to it over time. Riyadh Municipality has removed dozens of unlicensed slaughterhouses and sheep pens in eastern Riyadh this year. However, authorities will have to double their efforts to prevent new ones from sprouting up.
