Three months into 2025, over 30 million birds have been culled to control avian flu in the U.S. According to the USDA, the vast majority — 74% or over 22 million — were from battery cages this year. Continuing to raise animals in overcrowded conditions and relying on mass depopulation is an unsustainable and inhumane response. Industrialized animal agriculture has created this crisis, and we are all dealing with the consequences.
The primary U.S. response to avian flu is culling entire infected flocks, often through ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+), which kills animals by overheating them until their organs fail. Endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), VSD+ is an inhumane method that would be criminal if done to a pet. Veterinarians are now demanding the AVMA reclassify VSD+ as "not recommended."
