Edwards-Callaway Lily N, Cramer Mary Caitlin, Roman-Muniz I Noa, Stallones Lorann, Thompson Sofia, Ennis Sari, Marsh Jordan, Simpson Hailey, Kim Elizabeth, Calaba Elaine, Pairis-Garcia Monique
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Oct 19;10(10):1919. doi: 10.3390/ani10101919.
Euthanasia is a critical component in swine production and veterinarians play an important role in euthanasia protocol development and training. This study aimed to understand veterinarian involvement in and perspectives on euthanasia on pig farms. An online survey was disseminated both at a pig welfare conference and online via a veterinarian e-newsletter. Twenty-five veterinarians participated in the survey. The majority of respondents indicated that caretakers are the individuals making euthanasia decisions and performing the task ( = 17, 68% and 22, 88%, respectively). The majority (22, 88%) of respondents indicated that most of the facilities with which they work have a written euthanasia protocol, and 72% (18) indicated that they assisted in protocol development. Only half of respondents (13, 52%) agreed that "all employees performing euthanasia have been trained adequately", and 80% (20) identified an interest in delivering more training. Less than half the respondents indicated that strategies for coping with "personal stress" and "emotional wellness" (12, 48%) were included in euthanasia training. While the moral stress of performing euthanasia is recognized, there is opportunity for addressing mental well-being in euthanasia resources. Although preliminary, this study supports the need for further euthanasia training on-farm, involving veterinarians in the process.
安乐死是养猪生产中的一个关键组成部分，兽医在安乐死方案的制定和培训中发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在了解兽医在猪场安乐死方面的参与情况和观点。通过在一次猪福利会议上以及通过兽医电子通讯在线发放了一份在线调查问卷。25名兽医参与了该调查。大多数受访者表示，看护人员是做出安乐死决定并执行该任务的人员（分别为17人，占68%；22人，占88%）。大多数受访者（22人，占88%）表示，他们工作的大多数养殖场都有书面的安乐死方案，72%（18人）表示他们协助制定了该方案。只有一半的受访者（13人，占52%）同意“所有执行安乐死的员工都接受了充分的培训”，80%（20人）表示有兴趣提供更多培训。不到一半的受访者表示，安乐死培训中包括应对“个人压力”和“情绪健康”的策略（12人，占48%）。虽然执行安乐死的道德压力已得到认可，但在安乐死资源中仍有机会解决心理健康问题。尽管该研究是初步的，但它支持在农场进行进一步的安乐死培训的必要性，让兽医参与其中。
