About bsi Schwarzenbek

Bsi stands for “Beratungs- und Schulungsinstitut für Tierschutz bei Transport und Schlachtung”, bsi-Schwarzenbek, (Training and Consultancy Institute for animal welfare at transport and slaughter). Schwarzenbek is situated in the north of Germany near Hamburg.

We are a private veterinarian institute focussing on applied animal welfare at transport and slaughter providing training, consulting and research to industry and governmental bodies mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and EU-wide.

The institute, founded in 1993, started as an university-project and got some starting help by an animal welfare foundation (Erna-Graff-Foundation, Berlin), but since 1997 is working independent.

Depending on order/project situation the bsi - team consists of 3 to 5 veterinarians including the main personnel responsible Dr. Karen von Holleben and Dr. Martin von Wenzlawowicz.

Legally bsi Schwarzenbek is a civil law association (Holleben-Wenzlawowicz bsi GbR), fulfilling the definitions for SME ‘s according to Recommendation 2003/361/EC.

Bsi Schwarzenbek has been part of the consultations for the German order for welfare of animals at transport and at slaughter/ killing resp. and has been involved in developing the German training concepts for transport and slaughter staff. Besides drivers and stunning personnel we have been training a huge number of veterinarians and animal welfare inspectors since 1997, performing overall 706 training courses/ seminaries (counted up to end of 2011).

Bsi has carried out several German and EU-wide research projects on integrated quality assurance, stunning effectiveness and impacts of stress and strain on physiological/biochemical indicators and carcass/meat quality (see also publications).

Examples for expert activities for the European Commission was Martin von Wenzlawowicz being among the preparing authors of the EFSA (2004) report “welfare aspects of animal stunning and killing methods” (Scientific Report of the Scientific Panel for Animal Health and Welfare on a request from the Commission).