From August, the company can try to recover this seal. For this, you will have to request a new certification, a new audit, as well as to comply with all the standards required by this entity.
Lusiaves temporarily lost the animal welfare seal, after the release of images with dozens of wounded or dead chickens, and can only try to recover it from August, the Lusa told Lusa to responsible for certification.
“On March 17, we temporarily decided to suspend certification by August 2025. [A empresa] He was against this decision, claiming that it was an episode that involved four workers, “said Welfair’s official source in statements to Lusa.
From this date, the lusiaves meat packaging cannot contain the seal that ensures the consumer the fulfillment of good animal welfare practices.
However, from August, the company may try to recover this seal. For this, you will have to request a new certification, a new audit, as well as to comply with all the standards required by this entity.
Four suspended employees from Lusaves
The images were released on the Instagram social network of the association during the weekend and, allegedly, were captured in November on a farm of the group in Figueira da Foz certified with the Welfair seal since 2022.
In the publication you can see workers assaulting animals, wounded birds, with broken wings and exposed organs, and dozens of dead animals.
The company stated that not all published images were captured in the poultry exploration of the “Quinta de Matinhos”, but confirmed the opening of an inquiry process that resulted in the suspension of four employees in the face of “practices contrary to animal welfare, committed to the company’s total default.”
Lusiaves also conducted inquiries in other explorations located in that county, but did not identify situations that would undermine animal welfare and therefore considers that the case of “Quinta de Matinhos” It was an “isolated episode” and attributable to the four employees.
Less than 24 hours after the warning, Welfair sent an auditor on Thursday, accompanied by a head of the national certifying entity.
On the site, it was possible to confirm that some images were captured on Thursday, but no abuse were verified.
At the time, the fifth had many chickens about three days, and it was not possible to advance with an audit.
Already in the slaughterhouse with which the farm usually works, a “Mortality higher than expected”that is, a number of chickens higher than expected.
From here, Welfair “recommended the suspension” of the seal. The national certifying entity granted the company a period so that it could pronounce.
“This does not represent the sector”
“We deeply regret the mistreatment that are visible in the images. This does not represent the sector. From our experience, Portuguese and Spanish producers work well,” Welfair pointed out, calling for complaints to be made in a quick way, so that it can be seen and act.
The Lusa agency contacted Lusiaves, but got no response.
