Since G-d requires kindness and humaneness and respect for all, is the ritual slaughter of animals used today still indeed the most appropriate method? Are there other more humane methods of kosher slaughter?
I found your question regarding ritual slaughter (shechita), to be very thought provoking for myself and the people with whom I discussed it. After I received your question, I began to think a little, and research.Whenever we have a question regarding the morality of an action, we have to look at the action per-se: The actual act of slaughter (“Shechita”) itself (the actual method of killing the animal), as far as I am aware, is very humane. The authorities, even of Holland (where the issue recently flared up), see the act of Shechita as one of the most humane methods. I have not seen any evidence of ‘cruelty-to-animals’ authorities contesting this. What they dislike is the state in which the animal is in immediately prior to the ‘Shechita’, and sometimes, after the Shechita. This, indeed, should be, and is being, reworked. I believe, that the majority of ‘shechita’ places are no worse than their counterpart non-kosher abettoirs – often, it is the exception rather than the rule that gets the lime-light.
The question is important, all seeking Jews should be involved in trying to gain a better understanding of how the ethical value within the Torah plays itself out in practice.
All the best,
Shmuel Kimche