Should chicken slaughter be banned? Is it a bird or animal? Gujarat High Court hearing the case

A lawsuit filed in the Gujarat High Court has ignited controversy by challenging the categorisation of chickens.

The petition prompted a hearing on whether hens should be legally deemed animals.

While it may appear evident that chickens, with their wings, belong in the bird group, the petition’s goal is at the core of this unique legal dispute.

In 2023, the Animal Welfare Foundation and the Ahimsa Mahasangh petitioned the High Court for a ban on chicken slaughter in stores.

When the Gujarat High Court asked if a chicken could be deemed an animal, the petitioners cited Section 2(a) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which defines an animal as “any living creature other than human beings”.

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The petitioners also cited the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, which restricts the presence of live animals in butcher stores.

A division bench of Justices NV Anjaria and Niral Mehta presided over many hearings in which they requested clarity from the government on whether a chicken is an animal or a bird.

Manisha Lovekumar, a government counsel, responded to the court by explaining that a chicken is not considered a bird but rather an animal under the Food and Safety Standards. However, this group does not contain fish.

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Scientific terms

In scientific terms, a chicken is both an animal and a bird. Chickens are unquestionably animals, as they belong to the ‘Animalia’ kingdom, which includes all living species excluding plants, fungi, and microbes such as bacteria.

Furthermore, science defines chickens as ‘Aves’, a group that includes birds with wings that lay eggs. This puts hens squarely in the bird group. Simply put, a chicken is a sort of animal.

The evidence clearly indicates that a chicken, first and foremost, is an animal. Its initial classification falls under the animal kingdom, with the ‘Aves’ category being a sub-classification within the animal kingdom.

The data plainly shows that a chicken is first and foremost an animal. Its first categorisation is in the animal kingdom, with the ‘Aves’ category being a sub-classification within that kingdom.