Editing Exsanguination (section)

===In Jewish and Islamic slaughter===
Jewish ''[[kashrut]]'' (kosher) and Islamic ''[[dhabihah]]'' (halal) dietary laws mandate that slaughter is performed with a cut that immediately severs the esophagus, trachea, and the large blood vessels in the neck, causing loss of consciousness and death by exsanguination. The double-edged pointed knife is prohibited. Instead, a long knife with a squared-off end is used that, in Jewish law, must be at least twice the width of the animal's neck. The operation of sticking or exsanguination is executed faster than when using the pointed knife, as four large blood vessels in the neck are severed simultaneously.

In [[Sharia|Islamic]] and [[Halakha|Jewish law]], captive bolts and other methods of pre-slaughter paralysis are not permissible, as consumption of animals found dead are regarded as [[carrion]] and stunned animals that are later killed fall into this category.{{cn|date=December 2018}} Various halal food authorities have more recently permitted the use of a recently developed [[fail-safe]] system of head-only stunning using a mushroom-shaped hammerhead that delivers a blow that is not fatal, proved by it being possible to reverse the procedure and revive the animal after the shock.<ref>{{cite web |author=Masood Khawaja |title=Definition of Halal |publisher=Halal Food Authority |date=6 October 2001 |url=http://www.halalfoodauthority.co.uk/define.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090427045541/http://www.halalfoodauthority.co.uk/define.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 April 2009 |access-date=2011-10-24}}</ref>

Such methods, particularly involving unstunned animals, have been criticized by veterinarians and animal welfare organizations, among others. Prohibitions against unstunned slaughter have been enacted in several countries. See [[Shechita#Animal welfare controversies|Animal welfare controversies in shechita]] for further information.