Global Warmings

AVMA moves toward revision of forced molting endorsement

Lagging far behind the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Burger King, McDonald’s, Senator Byrd, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, which should have led the parade against forced molting, rejected for the third year in a row at its summer meeting a resolution stating that the AVMA is opposed to forced molting by depriving hens of food. The rejected resolution, introduced by the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, states that “the AVMA opposes induced or forced molting . . . when it causes harm or stress to the birds.” While the AVMA rejected the resolution, “comments” at the meeting “indicate there is growing support for the AVMA to take a position encouraging development of alternative humane methods to induce molting,” according to AVMA Convention News, July 15, 2001, p. 4.

Public pressure is starting to have an effect on the AVMA. Much more is needed. Please write a letter to:

Bruce W. Little, DVM, Executive Vice President
AVMA
1931 North. Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173,

and politely ask that the AVMA put the interests of the birds before the economic interests of the egg industry. Urge the AVMA to oppose food deprivation and any other form of forced molting that causes harm or stress to the birds. Drugs that cause the hens to reject food, perhaps by making them nauseated, or giving the hens “food” that chickens do not eat, such as cottonseed—these are not “humane alternatives” to forced molting by starvation.