The AVMA recently updated its 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, now called the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. The guidelines are available at www.avma.org by clicking on the dark blue Issues bar.

In July 2006, the Executive Board approved a recommendation that the AVMA convene a panel of scientists at least once every 10 years to review all literature that scientifically evaluates methods and potential methods of euthanasia for the purpose of producing the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.

During interim years, requests for inclusion of new or altered euthanasia procedures or agents in the guidelines are evaluated by the Animal Welfare Committee.

Revisions are based on a thorough evaluation of the available science and require Executive Board approval. The first interim revision, also approved in July 2006, is the addition of a physical method (maceration) for euthanasia of chicks, poults, and pipped eggs.

Substantive interim additions to the guidelines are indicated by underlined text.

For ease of navigation, each item in the table of contents for the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia is hyperlinked to the relevant area within the document.