What is the most humane way to "brain" a rat?

[mohawk]

Have you done it yourself?

I can tell you that everyone you talked to does not do it right and too much CO2 is filling the kill tank at once hence the gasping and panic.

When done right they will slowly fall asleep, this can be achieve with a CO2 regulator, than again people need to educate themselves.

And SLOWLY is not what we want !!! We want FAST and PAINLESS !!

But I did some reading on that AVMA link that you posted, and Manually Applied Blunt Force Trauma, is an ACCEPTED METHOD !!!!


M3.4 MANUALLY APPLIED BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD
Euthanasia by manually applied blunt force trauma to the head must be evaluated in terms of the anatomic features of the species on which it is to be performed, the skill of those performing it, the number of animals to be euthanized, and the environment in which it is to be conducted. Manually applied blunt force trauma to the head can be a humane method of euthanasia for neonatal animals with thin craniums if a single sharp blow delivered to the central skull bones with sufficient force can produce immediate depression of the CNS and destruction of brain tissue. When properly performed, loss of consciousness is rapid. Manually applied blunt force trauma to the head has been used primarily to euthanize small laboratory animals with thin craniums.334,340,341 It has also been ap:cens0r:plied for euthanasia of young piglets.

Thank You for posting that link