Ahead of the upcoming Eid Al Adha holiday in Egypt, the Cairo Governor announced a fine of up to EGP 10,000 for slaughtering animals on the street as part of Eid Al Adha celebrations.
In a statement released on Saturday, 17 July, Cairo Governor Maj Gen Khaled Abdel Aal also announced that those responsible for slaughtering animals on the street could face up to one year in prison.
The statement added that animal sacrifice for Eid Al Adha must be performed at the government’s sanctioned slaughterhouses, which are free and will be open to the public 24 hours a day during the four-day Eid Al Adha holiday.
Maj General Khaled Abdel Aal stressed that strict inspection tours will be conducted across Cairo to ensure sacrifices are being made only at the designated slaughterhouses as street slaughter, whether by butchers or community members, will not be tolerated.
Eid Al-Adha – usually referred to as the Feast of Sacrifice in English – is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims all over the world to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for God. Muslims usually sacrifice a goat, sheep, cow or a camel, donating some or all of the meat to those less fortunate.
Most people have their meat prepared by a professional, but some people slaughter the animals themselves, mostly on balconies, rooftops, gardens or in a public space, despite calls from religious scholars and government authorities against such practices.
Eid Al Adha is set to commence this year on Tuesday 20 July.
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