Emergency killing - an instrument of animal welfare. Emergency killing of farm animals in the light of the legislation on animal protection

Farm animals suffering from disease or injury are often not given medical treatment or prematurely killed to end their pain and distress. Such animals are likely to suffer adverse effects (pain, suffering, severe anxiety or harm) and this has to be regarded as unjustified by the purpose of their use (the production of food). Animals subject to severe pain or suffering must be killed immediately if therapy is impossible or unreasonable ("emergency killing"). Comparable to humane endpoints in the law governing animal experimentation, emergency killing functions as a tool for protecting animals. The choice between (prolonged) medical treatment and emergency killing has necessarily to be made on a case-by-case basis. Nevertheless it is useful to develop a set of criteria to establish a standardized procedure for similar cases. As there are no legal provisions for (species-) specific methods of emergency killing, it is also necessary to assess killing methods with regard to their implications for animal protection, to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering of sick or injured farm animals.