ACTION ALERT: Urge North Carolina to Pass Bill to Stop Gas Chamber Killings

[Maggie Funkhouser]

North Carolina may be the next state to ban using the gas chamber to
euthanize shelter animals. Representative Cary Allred filed a bill
called the Humane Euthanasia in Shelters Act or the Davie's Law last
week. The bill calls on county or city-run animal shelters to stop
using gas chambers to euthanize unwanted animals. Rep. Allfred said,
“I've got three dogs and two cats, and I would not want them to be put
down in a gas chamber. I don't believe it's humane to use exhaust
fumes, the same fumes you get from the tailpipe of a car.” He said
lethal injection lets “them go peacefully to sleep.” The bill is named
for a puppy that survived being gassed in a North Carolina shelter,
who was later found alive in a dumpster. He was rescued by a family
who stopped to drop off trash and heard him crying from inside a
plastic bag.

Lethal injection is the preferred method of euthanasia by the American
Veterinary Medical Association and National Animal Control
Association. For the animal, if administered properly, it is usually
no different than a shot given by a veterinarian. If the animal is or
becomes aggressive, it can be sedated prior to the injection. However,
many states still practice other methods of euthanasia such as,
electrocution, heartstick, shooting, drowning, and beating.
Intracardiac injection or heartstick, for example, typically involves
sticking a needle into a conscious animal's heart; the animal is often
stabbed repeatedly in this way.

Alice Singh, a board member with the NC Coalition for Humane
Euthanasia, said witnessing animals being put to death in a gas
chamber in Yadkin County prompted her to support the legislation. “I
will never forget what I saw,” she said. “The dogs were trying to jump
out of the large metal box, only to fail with many other dogs in the
chamber with them. The screams from that box will never escape my
memory, nor will the many scratches inside of the box, or the blood in
the bottom left after removing the dogs.”

Besides the mental stress on shelter workers, there is also a physical
danger to using gas chambers. They are at risk from CO poisoning when
they load and unload or clean the gas chamber, breathing in low levels
of the gas on a regular basis. A 2007 AVMA report warns, “[Carbon
monoxide gas is]....hazardous to personnel because of the risk of
explosions...or health effects resulting from chronic
exposure....Leaky or faulty equipment may lead to slow, distressful
death and be hazardous to other animals and to personnel.” CO gas
leaks have been documented at gas chambers in Rockingham, Montgomery,
Randolph, Stokes, Columbus, Sampson, and Granville counties in NC. In
July, 2008, in Iredell County, NC, the gas chamber exploded with 10
dogs crammed inside; an employee was present at the time, and other
workers were in the next room.

Lastly, numerous studies have proven that lethal injection is less
costly than utilizing gas chambers to euthanize animals. The Western
Pennsylvania Humane Society, by using an Animal Euthanasia Cost
Analysis work sheet, developed at Texas A&M University, showed in
September 2000, that to euthanize 10,000 animals per year, the cost of
gassing averages $13,230 while lethal injection averages $12,700.

Ultimately, the goal is to euthanize as few animals as possible (in a
perfect world, NOT euthanizing ANY because of lack of homes would be
great), but to argue over the best method for destroying them is
ridiculous in the year 2009. There is no reason to use dangerous,
inhumane methods to destroy shelter animals. To show your support of
the Humane Euthanasia in Shelters Act and to urge NC representatives
to pass the bill, please contact the North Carolina General Assembly.

Send Letters To:
North Carolina General Assembly
Legislative Building
16 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
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Alley Cat Rescue is holding an adoption event on February 14th! There
will be adult cats and kittens, lazy sleepers and high energy
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You can also check out some of our cats up for adoption at www.petfinder.com.

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