Mecca Municipality has decided to fire the workers involved in torturing a group of camels in a slaughterhouse run by the municipality.
The case had first gained public attention after a video documenting the barbaric abuse made the rounds on social media.
In response, Mecca Municipality Spokesman, Othman Mali, announced the municipality has dismissed the Sudanese guard of the slaughterhouse and all the workers who took part in the assault, according to Arab News.
In the viral video*, a slaughterhouse worker is seen brutally beating a camel with a stick. The camel can be seen bleeding and expressing agonizing pain.
Towards the end of the video, several workers can be seen beating camels in the same manner, trying to force them into the slaughterhouse.
The video was reportedly taken by a Saudi citizen who was disturbed by the incident.
One of the slaughterhouse's guards stopped the citizen and told him he is not allowed to take photos.
"Can't you see how harsh the worker is dealing with the camel there," the citizen asked the guard, as translated by Arab News. "There are better ways to deal with camels!"
The latter replied, "Well, you are not that camel, why you are bothered?"
*The video can be found online, but we have chosen not to share it as it contains graphic clips of animal abuse.
The video had triggered outrage on social media last week, with many users pointing out that prophet Mohammed had urged his followers to treat camels, and animals in general, with kindness.
"Sadly, some humans have become completely merciless," one Twitter user said.
Responding to the incident, Mecca's municipality vowed to take the necessary measures against those involved in the abuse.
"It was decided to exclude the Sudanese guard of the slaughterhouse and all the workers who participated in beating the camels, and decided to prevent them from working in the slaughterhouses of the Municipality," spokesman Mali said.
According to Mali, the contractor has been forced to provide a crane to carry camels to the slaughterhouse and will face penalties and fines.
Animal abuse in the kingdom could lead to a fine of up to SR400,000
In 2016, after several graphic videos documenting animal abuse in Saudi Arabia were shared on social media, director general of Prince Saud Al-Faisal Center for Wildlife Research in Taif, Ahmed Al-Bouq, issued a warning stating that torturing animals could lead to a fine of up to SR400,000 ($106,648).
Islamic law, which is applied in the kingdom, forbids animal abuse and considers it as a sin.
The Qur'an gives directives about how Muslims should treat animals, and Prophet Mohammed is known to have chastised people who mistreated animals.