The Chairman of the AWBI issued these directions in a letter to the Government of India’s Animal Husbandry Department.

The World Organization for Animal Health, of which India is a member, is the intergovernmental authority responsible for improving animal health worldwide. Bringing together expertise from veterinary practitioners around the world, the OIE has developed standards and procedures for the culling of animals during disease outbreaks. The AWBI has directed that these procedures must be followed in order to minimize the affected animals’ distress.

AWBI has also supported Humane Society International’s request that nitrogen and/or other inert gases or barbiturate injection must be used as first choices when euthanizing affected farm animals, as these methods cause the least amount of pain and result in less overall suffering.

“We hope that the governing bodies in India responsible for orchestrating culls during bird flu or other disease outbreaks will take the necessary steps to minimize the suffering of affected animals,” said N.G. Jayasimha, manager of HSI’s factory farming campaign in India. “By mandating more humane approaches in implementing disease control measures, the AWBI is taking an important step toward improving the treatment of farm animals.”