fbpx
Sign up now!
Don't show this again
Download the report!Continue to Site >
or wait 7 secs

Thank you for confirming your subscription!

(And remember, if ever you want to change your email preferences or unsubscribe, just click on the links at the bottom of any email.)

We’re glad you’re enjoying Pig Health Today.
Access is free but you’ll need to register to view more content.
Already registered? Sign In
Tap to download the app
X
Share
X

REPORTS

Collect articles and features into your own report to read later, print or share with others

Create a New Report

Favorites

Read Later

Create a new report

Report title (required) Brief description (optional)
CREATE
X
NEXT
PORK POULTRY
follow us


You must be logged in to edit your profile.

Favorites Read Later My Reports PHT Special Reports
Pig Health Today is equipped with some amazing (and free) tools for organizing and sharing content, as well as creating your own magazines and special reports. To access them, please register today.
Sponsored by Zoetis

Pig Health Today | Sponsored by Zoetis

.

AVMA releases first-ever guidelines for depopulation of animals

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has published its first ever Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals to help veterinarians support animal welfare in situations where the difficult decision to depopulate has been made.

“From past experience we know that doing nothing can result in greater animal suffering and endanger animal caretakers and rescuers. Depopulation sometimes may be the most humane and compassionate response to a catastrophe,” AVMA said in a news release.

Depopulation balances the need to respond quickly and prevent further devastation with the most humane method of death possible in response to urgent circumstances, such as a natural disaster, hazardous disease outbreak or terrorist incident, AVMA explained.

The new AVMA guidelines aim to ensure that as much consideration is given to animal welfare as practicable within the constraints of an emergency. To ensure the best possible welfare for animals during crises, the guidelines support advance planning for possible emergency situations.

For the swine section of the guidelines, AVMA consulted with Peggy Anne Hawkins, DVM; Robert Meyer, DVM; Alejandro Ramirez, DVM, PhD,; Patricia V. Turner, DVM and Sherrie Webb, MS.

“There are certain incidents where the rapid destruction of a population of swine must occur in response to urgent circumstances with as much consideration given to the welfare of the swine as practicable,” the guidelines explain.

These include regulatory, nonregulatory (highly pathogenic), emerging and zoonotic diseases, as well as radiologic exposures or natural disasters. The guidelines also address time constraints, worker safety, ownership, indemnity, public perception, population and animal size, carcass removal and disposal and many other considerations when depopulating a swine herd.

“Humanely ending the lives of animals is one of the most difficult, but necessary, tasks for veterinarians to oversee,” said Steven Leary, DVM, chair of the AVMA Panel on Depopulation. “During times of crisis or major catastrophe, depopulation of affected animals may sometimes be the most ethical and compassionate action.”

According to AVMA, the 93-page guidelines document represents the work of more than 70 volunteers, including multidisciplinary and experienced experts in veterinary medicine, animal ethics, and animal science. The AVMA Panel on Depopulation, which spearheaded development of the guidelines, was funded through a cooperative agreement with the USDA.

 




Posted on April 10, 2019

tags: , ,
RELATED NEWS



You must be logged in to edit your profile.

Google Translate is provided on this website as a reference tool. However, Poultry Health Today and its sponsor and affiliates do not guarantee in any way the accuracy of the translated content and are not responsible for any event resulting from the use of the translation provided by Google. By choosing a language other than English from the Google Translate menu, the user agrees to withhold all liability and/or damage that may occur to the user by depending on or using the translation by Google.