Massachusetts Veterinary Community Shows Strong Support for Farm Animal Welfare Reform

April 22, 2016
by Barry Kellogg, VMD, Senior Veterinary Advisor

Photos by Ron Bailey/iStockphoto, Richard Clark/iStockphoto, Kathy Milani

As a long-time licensed Massachusetts veterinarian and a proud member of HSVMA, I am pleased to report that more than 500 veterinary professionals in the state have already joined with the HSVMA in endorsing a Massachusetts ballot measure to end the extreme confinement of farm animals, which is truly a major animal welfare issue.

Those endorsements include approximately 370 veterinarians, (which is nearly 20 percent of the licensed veterinarians in the state), 66 veterinary clinics, 46 veterinary technicians, and 37 veterinary students from Tufts University. Support for the ballot measure is very strong and diverse. The broad coalition of supporters includes farmers, community leaders, environmental organizations, small businesses, and numerous animal welfare groups.

The sizeable veterinary support for the ballot measure – targeted for the November ballot in Massachusetts – is another example of how the veterinary community is taking an active stand against the inhumane housing methods used on large factory farms, in this case in the form of gestation crates, veal crates and battery cages.

In 2014, more than 1,000 veterinarians representing all 50 states joined HSVMA in petitioning the AVMA to adopt a stronger policy statement against the use of gestation crates. In 2012, more than 100 New Jersey veterinarians supported legislation to ban gestation crates in their state. And in 2008, more than 700 veterinarians supported the passage of Proposition 2, which effectively ended the use of gestation crates, veal crates and battery cages in the state by 2015. The veterinary profession is speaking out loudly against those practices and I am truly proud of that.

The Massachusetts ballot measure is similar to California’s Proposition 2 in that it will require that egg-laying hens, female breeding pigs, and calves raised for veal have enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their limbs. The Massachusetts measure will also ensure that shell eggs and whole, uncooked cuts of pork and veal sold in the state are compliant with these standards.

Last fall, volunteers helped gather more than 100,000 signatures to place the measure on the November 2016 ballot. A second signature-gathering phase is anticipated to start in May, after which the measure can then be certified for the November 2016 election.

In addition to collecting veterinary endorsements for the measure, HSVMA veterinarians have also provided expert testimony before the Massachusetts Legislature and have spoken to the media and at Tufts veterinary school on the measure from a veterinary perspective. The focus of these presentations have been to provide scientific information on the physical and mental harm that extreme confinement causes the animals as well as the public health and environmental implications of intensive housing methods.

We expect that veterinary support will continue to grow for the measure in the months leading up to the ballot, and are thankful for all the veterinary professionals who have already joined us in supporting this important animal welfare reform. The public looks to the veterinary community for guidance on issues pertaining to animal health and welfare and the veterinary support for the measure will have a significant impact in ensuring its success.

You can view a complete list of veterinary endorsements on the ballot campaign website. And if you know any Massachusetts colleagues who are not yet listed, please share our cover letter and endorsement form.

HSVMA Sponsors 2016 World Spay Day Events
Clinics Combine Veterinary Student Training With Companion Animal Population Control

February 19, 2016

For the sixth year in a row, HSVMA is sponsoring World Spay Day events involving veterinary students to promote awareness of the need for spay and neuter of companion animals as well as to help provide training opportunities for veterinary students in this life-saving surgical procedure.

World Spay Day is an annual campaign presented by The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and HSVMA. Launched in 1995, it aims to encourage people to save animal lives by spaying and neutering companion animals and feral cats. World Spay Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Tuesday in February, but events take place throughout the month of February, which is recognized as Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.

HSVMA encourages veterinary students to participate in World Spay Day events because it is a great opportunity to not just help companion animals in their communities, but also to gain some hands-on training in surgical skills. For many students, the events foster a desire to continue to help address companion animal overpopulation during their veterinary school years and beyond.

In 2016, HSVMA is sponsoring World Spay Day events involving veterinary students from the University of Florida, Western University, and Tuskegee University. These events will provide sterilization surgeries to animals in need as well as offer hands-on training to dozens of veterinary students in a variety of tasks, ranging from surgical prep and anesthesia monitoring to assisting with surgery.

The University of Florida held its World Spay Day event on Monday, February 15. Together, surgeons, staff and students spayed and neutered 24 dogs and cats, including several large adult dogs, from Helping Hands Pet Rescue and Puppy Hill Farm. They also provided surgery for a few dogs that live at Dignity Village, a camp site for homeless people in the Gainesville community.

"Our students and staff were excited to have the opportunity to participate in World Spay Day this year!" said Brian DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, a clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine at UF. "Spay/neuter plays such an important role in reducing pet overpopulation in our community and surgical services are always in high demand. It was great to see our surgery clinic bustling with activity on what is normally a day off. Since our services are limited to shelter and rescue animals, that activity translates into a chance at adoption for dozens of pets!"

Dr. DiGangi was joined by Dr. Natalie Isaza, who started the Veterinary Community Outreach Program at UF, an elective clinical rotation that is designed to introduce students to the challenges of veterinary practice in both community and shelter environments and to give experience in spay/neuter techniques.

The Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine HSVMA Student Chapter and Student Chapter of the ASV observed World Spay Day on Saturday, February 20 through collaborations with Mercy House, an organization that works with the homeless and very low income in the communities, Pomona Homeless Outreach Program, a student-run organization that provides support to the homeless adults and families of Pomona, and HOPE (Helping Out Pets Everyday), an animal rescue group. Donations from veterinary students and PHOP, including both food for animals and people, were collected before the event and donated to Mercy House.

The University had both of their mobile VACS (Veterinary Ambulatory Community Service) units at the event – the first time both units have been used at one event – and offered free spay/neuter and preventive care (vaccines, microchips, flea preventives, etc.) for dogs and cats. As part of their shelter medicine/HQHVSN externship, fourth-year veterinary students performed surgeries under the supervision of a veterinarian on the VACS II unit.

For Western University's first World Spay Day event, their numbers are impressive! Staff and students spayed a total of 30 dogs and cats, did one enucleation, and provided any needed preventative care.

On February 27, the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine SCAVMA, Shelter Club, and Omega Tau Sigma Veterinary Fraternity worked with a local shelter to hold the first World Spay Day event at the university. The event was a unique learning opportunity for more than 85 student volunteers (from all 4 classes!) who spent their Saturday giving back to the local community, spaying and neutering more than 20 dogs and cats for free!

Their World Spay Day program aims to help the local community with its efforts to curb dog and cat overpopulation and provide an opportunity for TUSVM students to gain hands on pre-surgical, surgical, anesthesia and post-surgical experience. The procedures were performed on campus by students with the assistance of their faculty.