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AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines 2020

AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines 2020

Stephen M. Vantassel reviews elements of the AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines 2020 as they apply to the wildlife control operator and pest control operator. Stephen explains how the AVMA understands euthanasia and how it differs from the definition used by wildlife control operators and pest control operators. You can listen to this podcast by clicking below.

If you want a copy of the guidelines, you can obtain them here from my previous blog post on the subject. AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines 2020.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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AVMA 2020 Euthanasia Guidelines

The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) periodically updates its animal euthanasia guidelines. The latest is the AVMA 2020 Euthanasia Guidelines which now replaces their AVMA 2013 Euthanasia Guidelines. Given the weight that the animal rights protest industry (and even many parts of the wildlife management industry) give to this document, I thought it would be wise to highlight some of the main points and issues this edition raises for wildlife control operators. (I have a training class on euthanasia for wildlife control operators (WCOs). If interested in having me present it to your group, contact me.)

AVMA Definition of Euthanasia

The AVMA understands euthanasia as involving more than just the method used to kill the animal. In their understanding, euthanasia includes why the decision was made to dispatch the animal, how the animal was handled prior to and during the dispatch process and how the carcass was disposed. According to the AVMA, euthanasia must be for the animal’s interest AND done in a manner that is stress free, painless and rapid. The takeaway for WCOs is that we rarely dispatch an animal for it’s benefit. So by AVMA standards, we rarely if ever perform animal euthanasia.

Interestingly, the AVMA does recognize that using a method to kill an animal, even if it caused the animal distress, may be considered euthanasia if the situation made it difficult to use a less painful method. The AVMA understands that some situations, such as free-ranging animals, make laboratory-style implementation of euthanasia methods difficult, if not impossible. Thus even if the technique was not perfectly humane, the AVMA could consider it euthanasia.

Carbon dioxide euthanasia chamber for wildlife
Carbon dioxide euthanasia chamber for wildlife is commonly used by wildlife control operators to dispatch wildlife.

Carbon Dioxide Induced Euthanasia

In my reading of the AVMA materials, it appears that the the Panel on Euthanasia continues to have concerns about the humanness of CO2. They point out that while CO2 exposure can suppress pain it also can cause burning in the nostrils (think soda going up your nose) as well as a feeling of air hunger to name two.  They noted that how CO2 was administered also played a role in the animal’s reaction. Animals reacted differently when placed in a pre-filled container versus being exposed gradually to increasing concentrations of CO2. Even the rate of exposure could play a role with  different volumes effecting different species differently. If you think it’s a bit complicated, you are right. It is.

Thankfully, they have not eliminated the method yet, but they did change the recommendation for use on rodents. They now recommend a chamber volume displacement rate of 30 to 70% per minute where previously the recommendation was 10-30%. As before, WCOs should ensure animals are calm and relaxed prior to placement in the chamber. Animals should be dispatched alone or in family groups. Do not place different species together and certainly not a predator with a prey.

Bottom Line

While I believe that wildlife managers and wildlife control operators have placed too much weight on the recommendations of the AVMA, WCOs who wish to claim that they are “following AVMA recommendations for the application of the euthanasia method” should be aware of these changes. Better yet, they should read the document itself, at least the sections discussing the methods they prefer to use. In the meantime, I hope the wildlife control industry gets moving and creates its own dispatch standards perhaps using those by the American Society of Mammologists.

 

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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AVMA Guidelines

The AVMA guidelines refer to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) publication entitled, AVMA Guidelines for Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition (AVMA.org). The AVMA Guidelines are the result of work performed by the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia. This working committee reads the scientific literature and uses 14-point criteria to establish the best practices for killing animals in the least painful/stressful way possible. The panel periodically updates the standards every few years. Previous standards were published in 1986, 1993, 2000, 2011, and 2013.

Euthanasia Standard

Being Kind to Animal Pests, 2nd ed.
Being Kind to Animal Pests, 2nd ed.

Since the AVMA guidelines are considered by researchers, animal activists, and the public to constitute the platinum standard for euthanasia, many wildlife control operators (WCO) state that they and their respective companies follow AVMA guidelines when euthanizing animals. But is this in fact true?

Does Your WCO Follow AVMA Guidelines?

I suggest that many WCOs do not follow the AVMA guidelines, at least not as the AVMA has presented them. The issue lies in a lack of awareness of what the AVMA guidelines actually are. For instance, the AVMA says that euthanasia (good death) must be done for the benefit of the animal AND in a manner that is free of suffering. Clearly, WCOs are not killing animals for their benefit. Thus, by AVMA standards, WCOs are not following the standard. What WCOs should say is that they use the techniques approved by the AVMA euthanasia panel. That would be far more accurate or should I say, likely.

Bottom Line

If your WCO says he/she follows AVMA guidelines for animal euthanasia, be aware that the WCO likely does not understand exactly what the AVMA standards for euthanasia are. Instead, interpret the WCO’s comment as referring to the technique(s) used to kill the animal.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Depopulation of Animals

Depopulation of animals has a rather ominous sound to it. Why would we ever want to depopulate an area of animals? Aren’t we struggling with enough losses in wildlife numbers already? What would be the purpose of trying to increase the deaths of wildlife that are already under strain in many parts of the world?

Large numbers of wildlife, like these mule deer, occasionally require depopulation. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.
Large numbers of wildlife, like these mule deer, occasionally require depopulation. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.

Those are all great questions. Let’s begin by noting that no one wants to depopulate an area of wildlife unless those animals are deemed invasive, such as feral hogs, nutria, etc. But aside from invasive animals, depopulation often needs to occur when there are significant disease outbreaks. Depopulation on large scales are used to either eliminate the spread of the disease, or to significantly reduce the spread of that disease to buy time.

Depopulation of animals isn’t pretty nor is it sought after but from time to time some animals must die in order to save the many. It’s just one of those hard facts that just has to be accepted even if the practice of killing all those animals makes one nauseous.

Because depopulation of animals is needed from time to time, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) established a working group to create standards to guide depopulation efforts. Their goal was to establish some principles and preferred methods to do this awful work in a manner that would be both effective but cause the least amount of suffering to the animals concerned and avoid harming non-targeted animals. I was grateful to be invited to participate in the creation of this document. It is an honor to be part of a publication that will guide the actions of agencies and wildlife control personnel tasked with performing mass depopulations of wildlife.

The document is called the AVMA Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals 2019. It has just been made available. You can download your copy at https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/depopulation-guidelines.aspx

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Chloroform & WCOs

Chloroform & WCOs (Wildlife Control Operators) may sound like a strange topic but it’s not as strange as you think because WCOs have been using chloroform to euthanize wildlife for years. Why? Simple. Chloroform is readily available without a license and it’s highly effective in putting animals to sleep. Chloroform doesn’t require WCOs to have any special tools like syringes and needles. Just a place the animal in a air-tight environment, such as putting a cage trap inside a plastic bag, and pour about 1 fluid ounce into the bagged trap, taking care not to get the chloroform into the animal’s eyes, and the animal will go to sleep and then die in a few minutes.

Chloroform is used by WCOs to euthanize wildlife. Photo: Seaborg - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20392784
Chloroform is used by WCOs to euthanize wildlife. Photo: Seaborg – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20392784

If you think chloroform is a great way for WCOs to euthanize wildlife, consider that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in its 2013 edition of animal euthanasia standards disallows the use of chloroform on animals. The AVMA disapproves not because they think it is cruel to the animal, but due to its risk to the user (Panel on Euthanasia. (2013). Schaumburg, IL: AVMA. (1–102) p. 102).

How could a chemical used historically to anesthetize humans, be so bad? According to Science Direct, chloroform is a suspected carcinogen (cancer causing chemical) and has been associated with harm to unborn children. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also classifies chloroform as a Group B2 chemical meaning it is a suspected human carcinogen.

OSHA (Occupation Safety and Health Administration) is the agency that establishes rules on worker safety. It set the chloroform PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) at 50 ppm or 240 mg/cubic meter. All well and good right? Not so fast. It appears that chloroform’s concentration in the air has to reach 85 ppm before the applicator can smell it (Amoore, J.E. and Hautala, E. 1983. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatiles for 214 industrial chemical in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology 3(6):272-290). In other words, if the applicator smells the chloroform, he/she has already exceeded OSHA’s exposure limits.

What should be done? I think WCOs who choose to use chloroform should be careful to protect the safety of themselves, their clients, and the public. WCOs choosing to use the product should limit their exposure by watching wind direction and minimize use to the absolute necessary occasions. If they transport bottles in their trucks, care should be made to secure the bottle against breakage and to capture the volatile gases should breakage occur (such as in a motor vehicle accident).

I also hope the AVMA, wildlife agency personnel, and the WCO industry will work together to provide WCOs with acceptable and practical ways to anesthetize and euthanize wildlife. Many of the AVMA recommended methods are either impractical for WCOs or are not legally available to WCOs. Given the need for WCOs to euthanize wildlife, limiting WCO access to euthanizing products is a detriment to the industry, clients, and of course, wildlife.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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