Depopulation describes the rapid destruction of a population of animals in response to urgent circumstances [1–2]. Today, depopulation is common in animal agriculture in response to certain disease outbreaks as well as market disruptions, corporate bankruptcies, and other economic considerations [3].

No. Euthanasia involves giving an animal a good death, that is, ending their life in the most rapid, painless, and distress-free manner possible when continuing to live is no longer in their best interest [4]. Disease outbreaks and natural disasters have long necessitated euthanizing herds or flocks of farm animals. As agricultural operations have come to confine tens of thousands or even millions of animals in one location, ending animals’ lives via traditional euthanasia methods has become unfeasible. In its depopulation guidelines, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) includes language indicating that during depopulation, the animals’ welfare needs receive only as much consideration “as practicable,” with other concerns taking priority [2]. Despite international standards requiring that depopulation methods result in immediate loss of consciousness or that animal suffering be minimized during loss of consciousness [5], methods that inherently cause severe and/or prolonged suffering have become the norm in the United States. VAFAW seeks a transition to modern depopulation methods that provide a painless, distress-free death, thus meeting the animal welfare standards required for euthanasia methods.

Before animals lose consciousness, they likely experience overheating, pain, anxiety, frustration, helplessness, nausea, malaise, respiratory distress, and exhaustion. Under field conditions, poultry often require hours to lose consciousness and die [10]. According to the USDA, in most poultry barns where VSD+ is used, some birds survive, even after several hours of heat exposure. These debilitated birds are then destroyed by a secondary method, sometimes days later [8]. Under field conditions, pigs often require an hour or more to lose consciousness and die from VSD+ [6]. The higher temperatures and humidity levels involved when VSD+ is used to destroy pigs may result in steam burns, worsening the pain experienced by the animals [10].

Carbon dioxide gassing is commonly used, especially in the egg industry. Birds are either caught and put into carts or containers with high levels of carbon dioxide, or the gas is pumped into the whole barn. Death is faster than with VSD+, but birds are likely to experience pain and distress before loss of consciousness [10–11]. Medium-expansion water-based foam is often used to destroy turkeys and broilers (chickens raised for meat). This wet foam blocks their airway. Death is faster than with VSD+, but birds are likely to experience fear and distress before they lose consciousness. [11] Methods that are applied to one animal at a time, such as cervical dislocation and blunt force trauma, are also used occasionally. While these methods may cause immediate or near-instantaneous loss of consciousness when performed properly, the risk of animal welfare compromise increases when they are used on large numbers of birds or performed by inadequately trained workers.[11]