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Chief vet defends pig euthanasia

1,300 shot with .22 rifle

By: Larry Kusch

Tuesday, Sep. 25, 2012 at 9:00 AM | Comments: 0

The province's chief veterinary officer is defending the way his unit euthanized 1,300 piglets in August on a farm near the western Manitoba town of Austin.

On Monday, Dr. Wayne Lees said he is concerned the method of euthanasia -- the piglets were shot -- is garnering more attention than the grave animal-welfare conditions that forced the raid of the farm.

"Given the nature of the situation and the types of animals that were involved, we had to take immediate action," Lees said. "The pigs were euthanized humanely using a low-velocity .22 (calibre rifle). It was according to acceptable guidelines for euthanasia. That method of euthanasia was not pleasant, but it is instantaneous."

Lees and a staff veterinarian went to inspect the large barn on Aug. 24 after receiving conflicting tips about what was going on there. At first, they were refused entry, but when they threatened to call the RCMP, they were allowed inside.

"It was a very disturbing situation to me personally," Lees said. All the sows had been removed from the farrowing barn, leaving only the piglets, which weighed from 2.2 kilograms to nine kilograms.

"So they had no mothers, no milk, etc.," he said.

Critics have suggested lethal injection or carbon dioxide gas would have been more humane, but Lees said neither method was practical in this situation. There has been some local research on the use of gas, but unfortunately the only equipment available is in the prototype stage, he said.

Lees said provincial officials are still investigating the case of alleged animal abuse against the farm owner. Their report will be forwarded to a Crown attorney to decide whether charges should be laid under the provincial Animal Care Act or the Criminal Code.

The incident occurred at a time when hog producers are losing their shirts because of skyrocketing feed costs.

"Fortunately, this is a very rare event," Lees said. "But they're very difficult situations when they do happen."

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

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