HSUS blasts AVMA; AVMA responds

In an August 19th blog on the HSUS website, CEO Wayne Pacelle calls into question AVMA’s commitment to the Veterinarian’s Oath (read the full blog here).

Excerpts include: “The HSUS doesn’t shrink from its responsibility to take on industries that cause or defend animal abuse…but it’s startling when we have to call out groups that should stand in the forefront of animal protection but are part of the problem when it comes to the mistreatment of animals.

“That is, sadly, the case with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)…. it’s been our experience that AVMA policies are out of step with a large share of veterinarians and the organization typically takes unfriendly positions on many of the major animal welfare questions of the day.

“This week, the AVMA issued a report attacking the prestigious Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (see www.avma.org/pewresponse), which had expressed support for a variety of important reforms in the realm of industrial agriculture, including federal legislation to end the widespread, routine use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics on factory farms. The Pew Commission endorsed legislation to phase out the use of antibiotics for non-therapeutic purposes on factory farms…dozens of other major public health groups support the legislation because they fear the consequences of agribusiness’s misuse of antibiotics to keep animals in overcrowded, inhumane, and often unsanitary conditions. But the AVMA is staunchly opposed to the bill.

I contacted the AVMA and asked them if they could send me a response to these allegations by HSUS. Ron DeHaven, DVM, CEO of the AVMA was quick to respond. “When you don’t have all the expertise at your fingertips, the result can be inaccurate statements, and it can be easier to mislead with a sound bite than inform with the facts. Unfortunately, it appears that Mr. Pacelle has fallen into both of these traps in his most recent comments on the AVMA’s approach to animal welfare.

“Mr. Pacelle’s statements regarding the AVMA’s positions and approach on downed livestock and induced molting are just factually wrong so we won’t belabor those,” continues DeHaven. “His horse slaughter example, however, serves to illustrate an important difference between the two organizations. In contrast to what Mr. Pacelle has suggested, the AVMA is not ‘pro-slaughter.’ Rather, its membership includes equine veterinarians who, day-in and day-out, are forced to personally confront the realities of the large population of unwanted horses in this country. These experts understand what happens when an option for humanely killing these horses in a regulated environment is taken away – large numbers of horses end up being abandoned and left to starve. The current economic climate has only made things worse. Open the paper today in any area where people keep horses and you will begin to understand why knee-jerk responses to welfare concerns, such as the position taken by the HSUS on horse slaughter, are not in the best interest of animals.

“Tugging on people’s heartstrings to raise money is easy; finding real solutions to animal welfare challenges is not. HSUS certainly excels at the former; the AVMA continues to direct its energies toward the latter.

“Mr. Pacelle is ignoring the legitimate concerns of animal welfare scientists and veterinarians, and misleading the American public to further his organization’s agenda. If he truly cared about the welfare of animals, he would not be so quick to criticize and minimize the input of veterinary experts.”

“Veterinarians choose their careers because they care about animals. At the same time, veterinarians understand that, when it comes to animal welfare, a knee-jerk response based solely on emotion, not science, might not be in the best interest of animals.” Well said, Dr. DeHaven!

In Pacelle’s blog he finished with, “We’d like some day to stand shoulder to shoulder with the AVMA on matters relating to the defense of animals. But too often, we stand on opposite sides of the major policy debates for animal welfare in America.” So in other words, if AVMA toes the line with HSUS’s vast food-animal welfare knowledge, they’ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, but until then, HSUS will try to drag down the AVMA by any means possible. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.

Geni Wren, Editor
Bovine Veterinarian

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