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AMVA Rejects Animal Welfare ResolutionsTuesday, July 25, 2006Farm Sanctuary Instead, the Association drafted and unanimously passed a counter resolution which supports the "responsible use of animals for human purposes." (The term "responsible" was not defined.) The initial resolution was proposed by Farm Sanctuary, which found that most of the 1,000 veterinarians surveyed in a nationwide poll oppose industrialized agricultural practices supported by the AVMA. Expressing a lack of surprise regarding the vote, Farm Sanctuary President Gene Bauston said: "The AVMA has a history of aligning itself with agribusiness' economic interests and defending the use of cruel factory farming practices to the detriment of animal welfare." The organization is urging the AVMA to oppose "irresponsible" animal production systems, including gestation and veal crates, battery cages, and the force feeding of ducks for foie gras. The AVMA also denied a resolution to oppose the "mechanical force feeding of ducks and geese" for foie gras production. Animal Rights Hawaii, Animal Rights International, and United Poultry Concerns ran a full-page ad in the Honolulu Advertiser during the annual meeting to condemn the AVMA's position on foie gras. (To view the ad, visit: http://www.upc-online.org/ducks/71806avma.html ) The AVMA rejected a similar proposal last year. Recent articles on the controversy over foie gras can be found in the Miami New Times and The Hartford Courant. |