Behind the looming, impassive walls of industrial sheds housing millions of birds—an emergency is unfolding.

I’m Mia, Senior Director of Global Animal Welfare at The Humane League. I want to bring a difficult subject to your attention today.

Since 2022, factory farms have been “roasting” birds alive in super-heated sheds with no ventilation. Why? Because it’s a cheap way to exterminate entire flocks to prevent the spread of avian influenza. It’s called ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+).

Just writing about VSD+ brings tears to my eyes. The pain, fear, and distress these birds likely experience is unimaginable. The process involves shutting down ventilation and pumping in heat, spiking temperatures to above 104°F. Death—likely from multiple organ failure—can take hours.

This is becoming a standard disease control method on US factory farms.

Imagine the reality of dying this way. The air is getting hotter and hotter. You’re panting in an attempt to keep cool. Your whole body feels weak. As your organs begin to fail, you hear cries of terror and distress all around you. You realize this is where you will die.

In the face of such an overwhelming atrocity, I like to remind myself to take a step back. Breathe. Consider why this is happening in the first place. And consider what I can do to stop it.

Based on a single study funded by the meat and egg industry, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) permits ventilation shutdown plus—despite the demonstrable, intense suffering it causes.

Will you call on the AVMA to revoke its support for this horrific practice? ⬇️ And if you’re able, will you consider making a gift to help take power back from this brutal industry?

Always for the animals,

P.S. This goes beyond factory farms. The virus that began on poultry farms has also jumped to wildlife—threatening biodiversity across the globe. Will you make a gift today to help end factory farming and protect the critical species who inhabit our planet?