Certificate of competency for the slaughter of animals and killing of fur animals

If you need a certificate of competency in accordance with the Council Regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing, do the following:

1. Familiarise yourself with the requirements of animal welfare regulations relating to the killing of animals.
2. Participate in a training course covering the slaughter of animals or the killing of fur animals. You will need a certificate of having passed the final examination of this course.
3. Apply for a certificate of competency in the electronic service or fill in a form (available in Finnish and Swedish) that you deliver to the registry of your local Regional State Administrative Agency. Attach a copy of the above-mentioned course certificate to the application.

You can apply for a certificate of competency when you have successfully completed a degree programme or part of one. The subjects of the degree have to be applicable for the categories of animals in question and concern slaughter procedures or the killing the of fur animals.

Acceptable certificates include:

• the completion of a relevant professional degree
• the completion of a relevant part or parts of a degree
• the completion of non-degree professional training (“custom training”).

For more information about suitable education, visit the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (oph.fi) or contact the relevant educational institutions directly.

You cannot get a permanent or temporary certificate of competency if you have committed a serious infringement of EU law or national animal welfare legislation during the three years preceding the application for a certificate.

You can be granted a temporary certificate of competency after you have registered for the above-mentioned education. You have to provide a written statement that you have not been previously granted another temporary certificate of competency in the same field.

When you have a temporary certificate of competency, you have to work under the direct supervision of a person with a certificate of competency granted for the speficied procedure.

A temporary certificate of competency is valid for a maximum of three months.