Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic electric stunning of slaughter animals, in particular pigs, is disclosed. Two gravity biased pendulum mounted electrodes are placed next to each other in the V-shaped passage formed between two endless conveyors. The electrodes are suspended from a transverse shaft placed high above the conveyors so that the electrodes, like a pendulum, can be pushed aside in the direction of transportation by the animal to be stunned and return into the vertical starting position by gravity. The electrodes are preferably positioned close to the exit of the conveyors with the receiving surface sufficiently low to make sure that a stunned animal does not prevent the return of the electrodes.