AASV Anti-Abuse Position Statement

Willful acts of neglect or abuse are unacceptable and are not tolerated. Willful abuse and neglect are defined as acts outside accepted production practices that intentionally cause pain and suffering. It is important to train caretakers that these practices are unacceptable. These practices include but are not limited to:

• Intentionally applying prods to sensitive parts of the animal such as the eyes, ears, nose, genitals or rectum. Excessive prod use could qualify as a willful act of abuse.
• Malicious hitting/beating of an animal. This includes forcefully striking an animal with closed fist, foot, handling equipment (e.g. sorting board, rattle paddle, etc.) or other hard/solid objects that can cause pain, bruising or injury.
• Driving pigs off high ledges, platforms or steps while moving, loading or unloading (animals are falling to the ground).
• Dragging of conscious animals by any part of their body except in the rare case where a non-ambulatory animal must be moved from a life-threatening situation. Non-ambulatory pigs may be moved by using a drag mat.
• Purposefully dropping or throwing animals.
• Causing physical damage to the snout or tusks of a boar as a means to reduce aggression (this excludes nose ringing and tusk trimming).
• Failure to provide food, water and care that results in significant harm or death to animals. This includes the intentional failure to provide food, water or care that falls outside of normal husbandry practices and would reasonably be considered neglect.
• Deliberate slamming of gates on animals.
• Malicious driving of ambulatory animals on top of one another either manually or with direct contact with motorized quipment. Motorized equipment may be used to move a non-ambulatory animal.

Approved by the AASV Board of Directors on September 30, 2021
Reaffirmed by the AASV Board of Directors on April 25, 2024

This statement replaces previous AASV Anti-Abuse Position Statements.