---
title: "Maggie-Miisle the goat dies at Gut Aiderbichl Szépalme, Hungary; aged 15, natural causes"
sdDatePublished: "2026-08-03T11:05:00Z"
source: "https://www.gut-aiderbichl.com/en/news/obituary-maggie-the-goat-miisle/"
topics:
  - name: "religion"
    identifier: "medtop:12000000"
  - name: "animal"
    identifier: "medtop:20000500"
locations:
  - "Austria"
  - "Hungary"
---


Maggie-Miisle the goat dies at Gut Aiderbichl Szépalme, Hungary; aged 15, natural causes

Obituary for Maggie-Miisle the goat | Gut Aiderbichl

Guggi and Tapsi the cats

Obituary for the horse Nadira

Obituary: Maggie the Goat – Miisle

Hexe the goat and her kids, Chris and Maggie-Miisle, were destined for ritual slaughter in 2011, but were ransomed by an animal lover and went on to live a safe and respectful life at Gut Aiderbichl until they reached a ripe old age.

The slaughter of Ziege Hexe and her kids had failed

The term ‘shechita’ refers to the slaughter of an animal without prior stunning. In this process, the animal’s throat is cut using a special knife. This cut severs the skin, the muscles, the carotid arteries, the trachea and oesophagus, as well as the adjacent nerve bundles. It is unimaginably cruel that this takes place whilst the animals are fully conscious, suffering terrible pain, breathlessness and the fear of death. Their agony can last up to thirty minutes and only ends when they have bled to death.

Shechita has religious roots and is permitted by law

Although slaughter without prior stunning is, in principle, prohibited under the Animal Welfare Act, it is permitted where there are compelling religious requirements or prohibitions imposed by a legally recognised religious community. Essentially, shechita refers to the ritual slaughter of an animal in Judaism, explains Richard Potz, Professor at the Institute for Legal Philosophy, Religious and Cultural Law at the University of Vienna. It was later adopted by Islam as well (source: Shechita: Religiously significant, legally permitted – religion.ORF.at). It is important that the animal is completely bled out; only meat that has been fully bled may be consumed. The fact that no stunning is carried out also has a theological basis, according to Potz: “There is a belief in the religion that an animal cannot be eaten unless it is completely ‘okay’. As soon as you stun it, it is no longer in that state.” Stunning causes injuries to the animals, rendering the meat no longer kosher.

Different views on ritual slaughter – do the animals suffer?

There is debate as to how long animals can actually still feel pain after a proper shechita cut. There are also people who believe that shechita is more humane than other methods of killing animals. According to an EU directive, pain, stress, fear or other forms of suffering must be avoided as far as possible when killing animals; however, slaughter without prior stunning is permitted on religious grounds. In Austria, the ritual slaughter of animals is currently permitted under the Federal Animal Welfare Act, which is enforced by the federal states – though subject to certain conditions. For example, a vet must be present and the animal must be anaesthetised immediately after the cut. Furthermore, slaughter may only take place in slaughterhouses authorised for this purpose by the authorities. In principle, however, the slaughter of animals without stunning is prohibited; ritual slaughter is only permitted where there are compelling religious precepts or prohibitions laid down by a legally recognised religious community.

Maggie – Miisle is a memorial

Our goat Maggie – Miisle has now passed away of natural causes at the age of 15 at Gut Aiderbichl Hungary in Szépalme.

Throughout all those years, she was able to enjoy a happy, safe and respectful life within the large herd of goats.

At 15 years old, Maggie-Miisle had reached a ripe old age for a goat and passed away peacefully in the company of her animal and human friends.

If slaughterhouses had windows, everyone would be a vegetarian.

Dear Maggie-Miisle, you have left us with something to think about: animals are fellow creatures, and traditions and moral and religious views can and must adapt to the times. Animal welfare must not be relativised. Take care, dear Maggie-Miisle. Your story will remain in our hearts.

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