Every year, millions of animals are killed using cruel methods that cause slow, agonizing deaths—methods still approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

One of the most disturbing is Ventilation Shutdown Plus (VSD+), where ventilation is sealed and heat is cranked up until animals die from prolonged heatstroke.

This isn’t just unethical—it’s torture.

Originally developed for emergencies, VSD+ is now being used routinely by factory farms as a cheap way to kill “excess” animals during disease outbreaks or supply chain disruptions. During COVID-19 and the ongoing bird flu outbreaks, it was used to kill over 200,000 pigs and millions of birds, with nearly $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds reimbursing producers who used this method.

Veterinary professionals are speaking out.

More than 2,000 veterinarians have signed onto Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown, urging the AVMA to reclassify VSD+ as “Not Recommended.” Yet in 2024, the AVMA reaffirmed its support—ignoring its own ethical guidelines and the overwhelming opposition from its members.

Meanwhile, corporations like Hormel (Jennie-O), Tyson Foods, and others profit from cruelty, receiving millions in public money while continuing to use VSD+ behind closed doors.

We are calling on:

• The AVMA to immediately classify VSD+ as “Not Recommended” and remove it from approved depopulation guidelines
• Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to end federal funding and USDA reimbursement for any farm using VSD+ or other inhumane depopulation practices
• Full transparency and reporting of all mass killing methods used by animal agriculture operations in the U.S.

Sign this petition to demand the AVMA and USDA end support for VSD+ and restore compassion and accountability in animal protection policies.