diff --git a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
index 3ccc03acaff..6c363e6770a 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
@@ -15,13 +15,8 @@
 
 /mob/living/attackby(obj/item/I, mob/user, params)
 	user.changeNext_move(CLICK_CD_MELEE)
-	if(stat == DEAD && !isnull(butcher_results)) //can we butcher it?
-		if(istype(I, /obj/item/weapon/kitchen/knife))
-			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You begin to butcher [src]...</span>")
-			playsound(loc, 'sound/weapons/slice.ogg', 50, 1, -1)
-			if(do_mob(user, src, 80))
-				harvest(user)
-			return
+	if(attempt_harvest(I, user))
+		return
 	I.attack(src, user)
 
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/living.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/living.dm
index 44d51324576..93c5dbf871f 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/living.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/living.dm
@@ -837,6 +837,15 @@
 /mob/living/proc/get_permeability_protection()
 	return 0
 
+/mob/living/proc/attempt_harvest(obj/item/I, mob/user)
+	if(stat == DEAD && !isnull(butcher_results)) //can we butcher it?
+		if(istype(I, /obj/item/weapon/kitchen/knife))
+			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You begin to butcher [src]...</span>")
+			playsound(loc, 'sound/weapons/slice.ogg', 50, 1, -1)
+			if(do_mob(user, src, 80))
+				harvest(user)
+			return 1
+
 /mob/living/proc/harvest(mob/living/user)
 	if(qdeleted(src))
 		return
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
index 362846dfd4a..186cafd63b8 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
@@ -434,6 +434,8 @@
 		return
 	else
 		user.changeNext_move(CLICK_CD_MELEE)
+		if(attempt_harvest(O, user))
+			return
 		user.do_attack_animation(src)
 		if(istype(O) && istype(user) && !O.attack(src, user))
 			var/damage = 0
@@ -451,7 +453,6 @@
 				user.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[user] gently taps [src] with [O].</span>",\
 									"<span class='warning'>This weapon is ineffective, it does no damage.</span>")
 			adjustBruteLoss(damage)
-	..()
 
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/movement_delay()