Ethicists’ commentary - Lack of authorized medication for animals in the food chain
Ethical question of the month, July 2024
In Canada, there are an increasing number of small-herd goat dairies and families who are keeping milking goats for their own consumption. Infestation with chewing lice is a common problem that causes significant health and welfare concerns in these animals. There are no products on the market in Canada labeled for treating lice in dairy goats. The most effective products are all pesticides, which veterinarians cannot prescribe extra-label with a Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) recommended withdrawal time without the threat of severe penalties. The only option for food-producing goats is to use medications with a Drug Identification Number (DIN), all of which are far less effective in treating this issue. This puts veterinarians in a very difficult position when treating these animals, as it can result in substantial unnecessary suffering for the affected goats. What could or should veterinarians do in situations like this?
Clare Palmer, Peter Sandøe, & Dan Weary comment on this dilemma and you can read it here: Ethicists’ commentary - Lack of authorized medication for animals in the food chain (pdf)