15 May 2006
PRESS RELEASE FROM COMPASSION IN WORLD FA=
RMING
- IRELAND
ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP EXPRESSES CONCERN AB=
OUT
PLANS TO GAS 6,000 CHICKENS TOMORROW AS A PRACTICE FOR AVIAN FLU EMERGENCY
SLAUGHTER
In light of the
Department of Agriculture’s plan to gas 6,000 chickens tomorrow as a =
test
of avian flu emergency slaughter methods, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), Ireland’s leading farm animal wel=
fare
group, stresses that the welfare of poultry must be given a high priority in
any such procedures.
CIWF
stresses that it is extremely important that methods used in killing poultry
for avian flu control should be swift, efficient and humane. All emergency killing should be do=
ne
under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Mary-Anne Bart=
lett,
Director of CIWF-Ireland, says=
:
“Should =
avian
flu reach Ireland,
it is essential that any emergency slaughter undertaken is done to the high=
est
possible welfare standards and is supervised at all times by a
veterinarian. We must remembe=
r that
chickens are sentient beings and should be killed humanely even in the even=
t of
an emergency such as avian flu.”
CIWF
notes that it is reported that the test tomorrow will involve killing 6,000
birds by pumping carbon dioxide gas into their poultry houses. The use of carbon dioxide to gas b=
irds
in their poultry houses is permissible under OIE standards (the OIE is the
World Organisation for Animal Health).&nbs=
p;
However, it is not the preferred method for humane killing because
carbon dioxide is an aversive gas and can cause suffering whilst the birds =
are
dying. CIWF
is of the view that more humane methods use inert gasses such as argon, whi=
ch
are non-aversive.
C=
IWF
is also calling on Agriculture Minister Coughla=
n
to, under no circumstances, permit the method of “ventilation
shutdown” that has recently be made permissible in the UK under emerg=
ency
legislation there. This invol=
ves
killing poultry by simply closing poultry shed air vents and shutting down =
the
ventilation system so that the birds slowly suffocate inside their shed. This method is not acceptable on a=
nimal
welfare grounds as death by this means will be very slow and the birds are
likely to be extremely distressed during this slow death.
For further information, plea=
se
contact Mary-Anne Bartlett at 021 4639038&=
nbsp;