Chronic wasting disease is spreading through North American deer and elk populations, causing prolonged neurological deterioration that represents a significant wildlife welfare concern.
Chronic wasting disease welfare harm is prolonged and severe. Affected deer experience a year or more of progressive neurological deterioration — confusion, difficulty eating, weight loss, and increasing vulnerability to predation and exposure. Death from starvation, predation, or organ failure represents the endpoint of prolonged suffering. The scale of potential CWD spread through deer populations represents an enormous projected welfare burden if the disease becomes endemic throughout the deer range. Monitoring, management of deer density in affected areas, and restrictions on deer carcass movement are the primary tools for limiting spread.