Based on input from animal-science veterinary and ethics professionals, American Humane Certified says that research is not conclusive or complete at this time to support Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) as the preferred method of poultry slaughter.

Bernard Rollin, Ph.D., professor in the departments of animal services and philosophy at Colorado State University and a member of the American Humane Certified Scientific Advisory Committee, said, “There is no distress as severe as the feeling of not being able to breathe. This feeling of suffocation is not only a result of lack of oxygen, but also the inability to blow off carbon dioxide. CO2 drives respiration. Even though CAS creates unconsciousness, there must be a period when the animal feels a sense of suffocation. For this reason, I do not accept CAS as a humane method of euthanasia.”

Yvonne Vizzier Thaxton, Ph.D., professor of poultry science at Mississippi State University and a member of the American Humane Certified Scientific Advisory Committee, said, “The main animal welfare issue with poultry slaughter is the ability to induce instantaneous insensibility.  The requirement is that all animals be insentient when slaughtered. Both electrical stunning and controlled atmosphere stunning fulfill this requirement, when properly administered. We are continually examining potential technologies that may be equal to, or improve upon, those in current use.”

John McGlone, Ph.D., professor of animal and food sciences, and director of animal care services at Texas Tech University, and Scientific Advisory Fellow of the American Humane Certified program, said, “Each current method of poultry stunning has issues that may be resolved in the interim, through close audit and further research and development. Neither animal processing facilities nor retail food operations should be forced to implement costly new technologies that do not generate clear improvements in animal welfare. To do so would not support a sustainable food chain.”

The American Humane Association, the oldest humane organization in the U.S. focused on the welfare of both children and animals, created the first and original humane certification label program. Tim Amlaw, program manager of American Humane Certified, said, “We believe that humane slaughter of food animals must be performed using the best available science and in a manner that causes minimal or no distress to the animals. Based on our scientific experts and existing evidence, we are not aware of any science-based conclusive evidence that the distress chickens, turkeys or other species experience in existing electric stunning methods is greater, or less than that with gas anesthesia induction. Any claim that CAS is more humane is simply not founded on current science and should not be forced on the industry, at this time.” 

About American Humane

The American Humane Association is the only national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Founded in 1877, American Humane is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit membership organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link® between animal abuse and other forms of violence, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane’s regional office in Los Angeles is the authority behind the “No Animals Were Harmed”® end credit disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane’s office in Washington is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America “Best in America” Seal of Approval, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's leading charity evaluator. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.