Animal Welfare and Pandemic Preparedness

COVID-19 revealed catastrophic animal welfare failures when slaughterhouse closures forced on-farm culling of millions of animals. Pandemic preparedness planning must include animal welfare provisions.

Key Facts

During COVID-19, over 10 million pigs and millions of poultry were depopulated on US farms
Carbon dioxide foam and ventilation shutdown were used for mass depopulation with serious welfare concerns
Ventilation shutdown involves allowing animals to die from heat and CO2 buildup over hours
Emergency depopulation methods used during COVID were widely condemned by animal welfare scientists
Post-pandemic planning includes developing more humane mass depopulation protocols

Welfare Considerations

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of concentrated animal agriculture when supply chain disruptions trigger mass depopulation. The welfare of millions of animals depended on depopulation method choices made under operational pressure. Ventilation shutdown — heating barns until animals die — causes prolonged suffering that welfare scientists widely condemned. Preparedness planning that develops and stockpiles more humane methods before the next crisis prevents these welfare failures.

What You Can Do

Support development of humane emergency depopulation protocols for pandemic preparedness
Advocate against ventilation shutdown as an acceptable emergency depopulation method
Learn about the welfare evidence on emergency depopulation methods and which are most humane
Support food system diversification that reduces vulnerability to supply chain disruption events