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Orthogonal digital radiographs of penetrating ballistic injury in a deer with caudal cervical spine shot placement. Orthogonal digital radiographs of penetrating ballistic injury in a deer shot with the caudal cervical spine as the point of aim (A) lateral, and (B) ventrodorsal. C6-7 is the point of entry. There is circumferential trauma extending from C5-6 to the T3 and ribs. There is extensive disruption of spinal alignment with cranial displacement of the first three ribs and ventrocaudal rotation of the cranial thoracic spine. A complete distortion of the anatomic relationship between the neck and thorax is noted. There is luxation of the C5-6 articular processes and obliteration of the normal contours of C7 and the spinous processes of T1-3. Notice how the skull, cranial cervical spine and disarticulated (but intact) T1-3 vertebral bodies are preserved with the exception of a small chip fracture from the caudodorsal aspect of T1 which is likely secondary to a projectile fragment. Gas within the deep soft tissues of the neck, cranioventral mediastinum and thoracic inlet with a pneumothorax and atelectatic cranial lung field (which is partially attributed to post-mortem tissue handling). Despite the overwhelmingly destructive tissue damage, the injuries and immediate incapacitation associated with lower cervical targeting were sub-lethal, and the target remained conscious and aware. The caudal cervical impact did not result in satisfactory euthanasia.
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Population reduction or eradication of domestic or non-domestic species may be required to address their impacts on the environment, other species, or human interests. Firearms are often used to accomplish these practical management objectives, and there is increased concern that the methods used may compromise animal welfare. We document the accur...
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... Failed attempts at gunshot euthanasia result in poor animal welfare and cause distress for veterinary personnel, animal owners, and members of the public. A lack of formal training programs for gunshot euthanasia has led to concerns that it is sometimes not performed accurately and is therefore inhumane [7]. To deem a gunshot to be a humane method and ensure horse welfare, it is critical that the bullet trajectory must be accurate. ...
... Failed attempts at gunshot euthanasia result in poor animal welfare and cau tress for veterinary personnel, animal owners, and members of the public. A lack of training programs for gunshot euthanasia has led to concerns that it is sometimes n formed accurately and is therefore inhumane [7]. To deem a gunshot to be a h method and ensure horse welfare, it is critical that the bullet trajectory must be ac Based on the evidence, there is a need to gain proficiency with gunshot euthanas to performing the procedure on animals in the field. ...
Challenges and issues related to the use of pentobarbital euthanasia and disposal of animal remains within the US have recently been reviewed. Environmental and public health challenges increasingly necessitate consideration of alternative methods such as gunshots, an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) “acceptable with conditions” method, for the humane euthanasia of horses. A recent study reported a correctly aimed gunshot provides a humane option for euthanizing horses. However, although aiming guidelines exist, studies examining bullet trajectories in animals euthanized by gunshot have reported that inadequate disruption of the brain is a serious welfare issue. Here, we report the development and production of a portable, reusable, equine gunshot euthanasia training model. Using 3D printing, an anatomically accurate model of an equine head has been developed, with external aiming landmarks and equipped with integrated laser sensors and LED eyes. The laser sensors are embedded in two specific anatomical tracts (pons and medulla) with aiming paths associated with the aiming landmarks to train correct aiming angle. The LED eyes are linked to the laser sensors to provide instant feedback on aiming accuracy. When a beam from a commercially available blue training gun laser travels along the correct aiming path and strikes the sensor inside the head, the lights in the model’s eyes go out and there is an audible signal, providing immediate feedback on the accuracy of the shot. The model facilitates the training of veterinary personnel and first responders in successful gunshot euthanasia, providing instantaneous feedback on the likelihood of a shot causing immediate, humane death in a live animal.
... Moreover, the use of a mobile rendering trailer as a depopulation vessel in the field provides additional benefits and opportunities for decontamination, carcass disposal and worker safety as the activities are performed away from the production environment [17,37]. When animals walk into the depopulation trailer under their own power, the human labor required to carry out the depopulation event and remove carcasses from the site (if a dump trailer is used) is reduced. ...
The U.S. swine industry is currently inadequately prepared to counteract the increasing threat of high-consequence diseases. Although approved and preferred depopulation guidelines exist, ventilation shutdown (VSD+) is currently the only method being deployed during a state of emergency to depopulate large swine populations. However, the permitted use of VSD+ during constrained circumstances has been criticized due to raised swine welfare concerns. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of carbon dioxide gas (CO2), nitrogen gas (N2), compressed air foam (CAF), compressed nitrogen foam (CAF-N2) and aspirated foam (AF) during a 15-min dwell time on adult swine in an emergency depopulation situation. A small-scale trial using 12 sows per depopulation method showed the highest efficiency to induce cessation of movement for AF and CO2 (186.0 ± 48 vs. 202.0 ± 41, s ± SD). The ease of implementation and safety favored AF for further investigation. A large-scale field study using AF to depopulate 134 sows in modified rendering trailers showed a mean fill time of 103.8 s (SD: 5.0 s) and cessation of movement of 128.0 s (SD: 18.6 s) post filling. All sows were confirmed dead post-treatment for both trials. The implementation of AF in modified rendering trailers may allow for a safe and reliable method that allows for the expedient and mobile depopulation of both small and large numbers of sows during an emergency.
... In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans and scavenging wildlife, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free (non-lead) bullets for shooting (i.e., harvesting, culling, recreational hunting) of wild animals [1,2]. Concurrently, attention devoted to animal welfare in wildlife management has increased markedly, including for shooting methods [3,4]. As a result, there has been considerable scrutiny of animal welfare implications of a transition to lead-free products. ...
... We then used radiography to assess the terminal ballistic performance of bullets in animal tissues. Radiography is an accepted method in wildlife studies for detecting lead particles [3,6,32,47,48]. The pigs were radiographed using a portable Cuattro 1 Slate Plus portable digital radiography system (Cuattro, Golden, Colorado, USA) set at 80 kVp and 2.5 mAs and a wireless 14" x 17" (36 x 43 cm) digital plate [6]. Standardized lateral radiographs were taken of the left side of each pig with the film centered on the middle of the thorax. ...
In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans, scavenging wildlife and the environment, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting of wild animals. We compared efficiency metrics and terminal ballistic performance for lead-based and lead-free (non-lead) bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in eastern Australia. Ballistic testing revealed that lead-based and lead-free bullets achieved similar performance in precision and muzzle kinetic energy (E 0) levels (3337.2 J and 3345.7 J, respectively). An aerial shooting trial was conducted with wild pigs shot with one type of lead-based and one type of lead-free bullets under identical conditions. Observations were made from 859 shooting events (n = 430 and 429 respectively), with a subset of pigs examined via gross post-mortem (n = 100 and 108 respectively), and a further subset examined via radiography (n = 94 and 101 respectively). The mean number of bullets fired per pig killed did not differ greatly between lead-based and lead-free bullets respectively (4.09 vs 3.91), nor did the mean number of bullet wound tracts in each animal via post-mortem inspection (3.29 vs 2.98). However, radiography revealed a higher average number of fragments per animal (median >300 vs median = 55) and a broader distribution of fragments with lead-based bullets. Our results suggest that lead-based and lead-free bullets are similarly effective for aerial shooting of wild pigs, but that the bullet types behave differently, with lead-based bullets displaying a higher degree of fragmentation. These results suggest that aerial shooting may be a particularly important contributor to scavenging wildlife being exposed to lead and that investigation of lead-free bullets for this use should continue. PLOS ONE PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.
... They may also be minimally suitable considering animal welfare and potentially negative emotional impacts on personnel. Physical methods involving the discharge of blood or body fluids also may pose an unacceptable risk of disease dissemination among other domestic swine populations as a result of pathogen dissemination during the movement of carcass material to disposal sites [55]. ...
Swine mass depopulation refers to the destruction of large numbers of pigs and may include not only animals affected with a disease but also healthy pigs in a facility or surrounding areas. Emerging applications of mass depopulation include reducing welfare issues associated with slaughter delays, which was observed in the United States in 2020 as a result of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The objectives of this review were to summarize the available literature on swine depopulation methods and to highlight critical gaps in knowledge. Peer-reviewed articles were identified through a systematic search in electronic databases including Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PubMed. A total of 68 publications were assessed. Gaseous carbon dioxide inhalation was the most commonly reported depopulation method for both small- and large-scale trials. Measurements of consciousness state, which serves to assess suffering and humaneness, appeared to be lacking in a high proportion of the studies. None of the published studies demonstrated an ideally reliable and safe way to induce rapid unconsciousness in large groups of pigs. Development of rapid mass depopulation methods applicable to large groups of pigs is necessary to provide industry partners with suitable and low-cost emergency preparedness procedures while adhering to personnel safety and animal welfare standards. Lastly, there is an urgent need to standardize comprehensive reporting guidelines for depopulation studies.
... In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans and scavenging wildlife, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting (i.e., harvesting, culling, recreational hunting) of wild animals (Martin et al. 2017, Arnemo et al. 2019, Newth et al. 2019, Schulz et al. 2019, Thomas et al. 2019. Recently, attention devoted to animal welfare in wildlife management has increased markedly, including for shooting methods (Hampton et al. 2016, Stokke et al. 2018, DeNicola et al. 2019. Animal welfare concerns have impeded the adoption of lead-free bullets (Caudell et al. 2012). ...
... When the rabbit was confirmed dead, we conducted a postmortem categorization of the location of bullet wound tracts following the methods of Hampton et al. (2016). We used radiography to assess the terminal ballistic performance of bullets in animal tissues (Herring et al. 2016, DeNicola et al. 2019, Broadway et al. 2020). We collected a random sample of 27-28 rabbits shot with each bullet type, tagged each rabbit with a unique identification number, and refrigerated them until they could be radiographed. ...
... The terminal ballistics of the lead-free bullets manifested in a majority (52%) of pass-through shots and less fragmentation and deformation than observed for lead-based bullets. A bullet that passes through an animal with much of its kinetic energy remaining tends to produce less wound trauma than one that is frangible or malleable and transfers all (or most) of its kinetic energy to the animal (Caudell et al. 2012, DeNicola et al. 2019. Bullets are designed to maximize wound trauma (and hence the likelihood of instant incapacitation) by maximizing their kinetic energy transfer through fragmentation or deformation, which both increase the diameter of the wound channel. ...
In response to health threats posed by toxic lead to humans and scavenging wildlife, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead‐based to lead‐free bullets for shooting (harvesting, culling, or recreational hunting) of wild animals. However, the efficacy of lead‐free bullets for shooting small mammals has seldom been evaluated. We compared the animal welfare outcomes and costs of using lead‐based and lead‐free bullets in the world's most popular cartridge, the rimfire .22 LR, for shooting wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Australia, during August 2019. Ballistic testing revealed that lead‐free bullets were less precise than one type of commonly used lead‐based bullet when shot from one rifle. We shot at 53 and 115 rabbits with lead‐based and lead‐free bullets, respectively. A substantially lower percentage of rabbits that were hit were wounded (2%) with lead‐based bullets compared with lead‐free bullets (20%). Hence, fewer shots were needed to kill rabbits with lead‐based (1.27) than lead‐free (3.98) bullets. Radiographic examination of 28 rabbits shot with lead‐based bullets and 27 rabbits shot with lead‐free bullets revealed metallic fragments present in 82% and 41% of carcasses, respectively. In 52% of rabbits shot with lead‐free bullets, there was no radiographic evidence of bullets or fragments, indicating pass‐through shots. The greater cost per bullet and larger number of bullets required to kill a rabbit meant that using lead‐free bullets cost 6 times more per rabbit killed than using lead‐based bullets. The only commercially available lead‐free .22 LR bullets in Australia at the time of our study produced substantially poorer animal welfare outcomes, and were more expensive per killed rabbit, than lead‐based bullets. Lead‐free bullets designed to reduce lead exposure to scavenging wildlife and humans and should be assessed in terms of animal welfare outcomes and costs prior to being considered for widespread use. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. The efficacy of lead‐free rimfire .22 LR bullets was compared with lead‐based bullets for shooting European rabbits in Australia. Lead‐free bullets were less effective, emphasizing the need for animal welfare testing for new ballistic technology.
... In this case, such polarized conclusions are particularly unsatisfactory given that data exist to enable robust and quantitative science-based assessment of welfare outcomes of the practice (e.g., duration of stress) (Hampton et al. 2017).One suggested approach to avoiding the humane/inhumane binary in communicating about animal welfare in wildlife contexts is to replace references to humaneness with descriptors of animal welfare outcomes or impacts(Beausoleil et al. 2010). This transition has occurred in many other areas of animal welfare science in the past decade, but the term humane retains in frequent use in conservation and wildlife management (DeNicola et al. 2019;Driscoll et al. 2019;Hayward et al. 2019;Mankad et al. 2019;Proulx & Rodtka 2019;Callen et al. 2020). ...
Animal welfare is increasingly important in the understanding of how human activity affects wildlife, but the conservation community is still grappling with meaningful terminology when communicating this aspect of their work. One example is the use of the terms “humane” and “inhumane.” These terms are used in scientific contexts, but they also have legal and social definitions. Without reference to a defined technical standard, describing an action or outcome as humane (or inhumane) constrains science communication because the terms have variable definitions; establish a binary (something is either humane or inhumane); and imply underlying values reflecting a moral prescription. Invoking the term “humane,” and especially the strong antithesis “inhumane,” can infer a normative judgment of how animals ought to be treated (humane) or ought not to be treated (inhumane). The consequences of applying this terminology are not just academic. Publicizing certain practices as humane can create blurred lines around contentious animal welfare questions and, perhaps intentionally, defer scrutiny of actual welfare outcomes. Labeling other practices as inhumane can be used cynically to erode their public support. We suggest that, if this normative language is used in science, it should always be accompanied by a clear, contextual definition of what is meant by humane.
... Accuracy and precision of firearms (<1 cm five-shot groups at 100 m) was tested on a firearm range prior to shooting operations, and a rangefinder was used to determine distances during shooting operations. The point of aim selected for this project was the upper cervical vertebrae to ensure an instantaneous death [10]. This shot placement also resulted minimal blood and tissue loss in the field, to limit possible CWD environmental contamination, and the preservation of select tissue samples. ...
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a degenerative and fatal prion disease affecting cervids, was detected for the first time in the province of Québec, Canada, in a red deer (Cervus elaphus) farm in the Laurentides region on 10 September 2018. To assess CWD prevalence and control the disease in the free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population, a response plan including enhanced surveillance, population control, regulatory measures, and public outreach was deployed by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife, and Parks (MFFP). In the 401 km2 white-tailed deer control area, a total of 750 free-ranging white-tailed deer were culled over 70 days, from 22 September to 15 December 2018. Of the culled deer, 534 were tested for CWD. We also tested for CWD a total of 447 white-tailed deer hunted from the enhanced surveillance zone and 2584 free-ranging white-tailed deer harvested outside this zone. Regulations were applied to prevent the spread of the disease through movements of infected animals harvested by hunters. Although no case of CWD was detected in free-ranging cervids in Québec in 2018, this does not confirm the absence of the disease in these populations. However, the results suggest that if CWD is present, few free-ranging cervids are infected, making it possible to prevent its establishment in the province of Québec.
Depopulation of food-producing animals is becoming increasingly common in response to both disease outbreaks and supply chain disruptions. In 2019, the American Veterinary Medical Association released depopulation guidelines classifying certain heatstroke-based killing methods as “permitted in constrained circumstances”, when circumstances of the emergency constrain reasonable implementation of “preferred” methods. Since then, tens of millions of birds and pigs have been killed by such methods, termed ventilation shutdown (VSD) Plus Heat and VSD Plus High Temperature and Humidity. While no research using validated measures of animal welfare assessment has been performed on these methods, their pathophysiology suggests that animals are likely to experience pain, anxiety, nausea, and heat distress prior to loss of consciousness. Heatstroke-based methods may result in prolonged suffering and often do not achieve 100% mortality. Potential and available alternative depopulation methods are briefly reviewed. The veterinary profession’s ethical obligation to protect animal welfare in the context of depopulations is discussed.
Context. Vehicle-based shooting has been widely used to kill deer, but the animal-welfare outcomes of this technique have not been evaluated in Australasia. Aim. To assess the animal-welfare outcomes of peri-urban deer culling by quantifying the fates of deer seen and shot at, the duration of procedures, and the number and location of bullet wounds in deer. Methods. We assessed vehicle-based night shooting of peri-urban rusa deer (Cervus timorensis) by professional contractors in eastern Australia. Shooters targeted the heads of deer using .223 Remington ® rifles and 55 grain bullets. Independent veterinarians conducted ante-mortem (i.e. from the shooting vehicle) and post-mortem (i.e. inspecting the carcass) observations. The ante-mortem data were used to estimate the proportion of deer seen that were shot at, killed, wounded, and escaped. The influence of variables predicted to affect shooting outcomes was assessed. The numbers and locations of bullet wounds were recorded post-mortem. Key results. Of the 269 deer seen in 21 nights, 48% were shot at and 85% of those shot at were killed by either one (87%), two (10%) or three (3%) shots. The frequency of non-fatal wounding (i.e. escaping wounded) was 3.5% for those shot at and hit, and the median time to insensibility for the deer that were shot multiple times was 289 s. There was variation among shooters in their ability to hit a deer, and also to do so with a killing shot. The number of bullet wounds per deer ranged from 1 to 3 (mean = 1.1), with 83% of shots striking the brain and 17% striking the anterior skull, neck and jaw. Conclusions. The animal welfare outcomes we observed were comparable to those reported from other professional ground-based shooting programs for ungulates, but were poorer than those reported for professional ground-based shooting of peri-urban kangaroos. Implications. Our results suggest that one way to improve the animal welfare outcomes of vehicle-based shooting of peri-urban deer is by improving shooter training. Assessment of shooter performance should be a routine part of ground-based shooting programs.
Context Helicopter-based shooting has been widely used to kill deer in Australasia, but the animal welfare outcomes of this technique have not been evaluated. Aim To assess the animal welfare outcomes of helicopter-based shooting of deer in Australia by quantifying the fates of deer seen and shot at, the duration of procedures and the number and location of bullet wounds in deer. Methods Three deer control operations were assessed. These operations targeted: (1) chital deer (Axis axis) in Queensland, (2) fallow deer (Dama dama) in Australian Capital Territory and (3) fallow deer in New South Wales. For each operation, an independent veterinarian conducted ante-mortem (i.e. from the helicopter as shooting occurred) and post-mortem (i.e. from the ground after shooting had ceased) observations. The ante-mortem data were used to estimate the proportion of deer seen that were shot, chase time (CT), time to insensibility (TTI) and total time (TT; CT + TTI). The numbers and locations of bullet wounds were recorded post-mortem. Key results Ante-mortem and post-mortem observations were performed for 114–318 and 60–105 deer, respectively, in the three operations. Shots were fired at 69–76% of deer that were observed. Median CT ranged from 73 to 145 s. Median TTI ranged from 17 to 37 s and median TT ranged from 109 to 162 s. The mean number of bullet wounds per deer ranged from 1.43 to 2.57. Animal welfare outcomes were better in the two fallow deer operations than in the chital deer operation. In both fallow deer operations, most deer were shot multiple times and at least once in the head or thorax. In contrast, chital deer were shot fewer times and less often in the head or thorax, and non-fatal wounding was observed. Conclusions The best animal welfare outcomes were achieved when helicopter-based shooting operations followed a fly-back procedure and mandated that multiple shots were fired into each animal. Implications Animal welfare outcomes for helicopter-based deer shooting in Australia could be improved with a national-level standard operating procedure requiring helicopters to fly back over shot animals and repeatedly shoot animals in the head or thorax.
