Abstract: A stunning and overload protection circuit for animal stunning apparatus is operative to relax the respective animal, such as poultry, yet not damage same and includes power supply means operative to provide pulsating direct current to a timing circuit which effects activating and deactivating of one electrode of the animal stunning apparatus, and an overload protection circuit electrically connected to the power supply means and to the timing circuit and operative to prevent activating of the electrode and to provide an alternate path for power supply current in the event of application of a load above a selected amount to the electrodes of the stunning apparatus.