Veterinarians Demand AVMA Revise Guidelines on Animal Depopulation
Hundreds of veterinarians and veterinary students across the country are speaking out against what they consider inhumane killing methods for farmed animals during emergency situations. In a letter sent to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 868 signers, including 504 AVMA members, are calling for revisions to the draft “Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals” to eliminate cruel methods such as heat stroke, suffocation with water-based foam, and bludgeoning.
Prioritizing Animal Welfare in Emergency Depopulation
The guidelines, which are voluntary but heavily relied upon by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), currently allow for methods that veterinarians say cause severe suffering. This includes Ventilation Shutdown Plus Heat (VSD+), where barns are sealed and temperatures rise to 170 degrees, causing distress and prolonged agony. VSD+ has been widely used in bird flu outbreaks, with over 76% of poultry killed by this method between 2022 and 2024.
Veterinary professionals argue that the AVMA must take a stronger stance in deterring these practices, prioritizing animal welfare in emergency depopulation efforts. Gwendolen Reyes-Illg, DVM, a veterinary medical consultant for the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), stated, “While we acknowledge some improvements in this draft, it requires several key changes to ensure animal welfare is prioritized by the USDA and farm operators.”
Calls for Revision of Depopulation Methods
The letter requests that VSD+ be downgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 3 in the guidelines, classifying it as “not recommended” for any species. Tier 3 methods are those for which there is insufficient evidence supporting their use or where their effectiveness may conflict with animal welfare.
In addition to VSD+, the letter calls for two other methods—water-based foam and manual blunt force trauma—to be classified in Tier 3. Water-based foam suffocates pigs and other livestock by blocking their airways painfully, while blunt force trauma, which involves striking or throwing piglets against hard surfaces, causes unnecessary pain and suffering.
Moving Toward More Humane Practices
The veterinarians and students who signed the letter are part of the Veterinary Association for Farm Animal Welfare, an organization dedicated to improving the treatment of farmed animals. Their plea is clear: to urge the AVMA to advocate for more humane methods and ensure that animal welfare is prioritized during disease control efforts, rather than relying on cruel and outdated practices.
The AVMA's proposed guidelines, which remain voluntary, serve as a critical framework for large-scale depopulation efforts during animal disease outbreaks. With significant public concern around the ethical treatment of farm animals, the pressure is on for the AVMA to revise its guidelines and push for more humane alternatives.
