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Animal Gas
Chambers Draw Fire in U.S.
Maryann Mott
for
National Geographic News
April 11, 2005
When animal-shelter employee Rosemary
Ficken opened the door to the St. Louis pound's gas chamber one August
day in 2003, she couldn't believe her eyes: A reddish brown mutt,
standing on top of six dead dogs, was still alive.
In
the shelter's 64 year history, no dog had ever survived the chamber's
noxious fumes.
Unwilling to close the door and re-gas the dog, Ficken called Randy
Grim, the founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. The Missouri
organization rescues abused and neglected animals, restores them to
health, and places them in new homes.
Grim retrieved the big-eared Basenji mix and named him Quentin after
California's San Quentin prison.
Quentin's life was spared that day, but many others are not so lucky.
Nearly four million dogs and cats in the United States are put to
death in shelters each year.
Carbon monoxide gas chambers—a euthanasia method used since World War
II—are routinely used in animal shelters throughout the country,
including Rhode Island, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.
The American Veterinary Medical Association—whose euthanasia
guidelines are widely followed—considers carbon monoxide gassing an
acceptable method when done in a properly manufactured and equipped
chamber. Many animal-welfare advocates, though, say the method is
inhumane.
"It's America's dirty little secret," said Grim, who has written the
book Miracle Dog: How Quentin Survived the Gas Chamber to Speak for
Animals on Death Row (Alpine Publishing). "If people actually saw
the gas chamber working, they would sign a petition tomorrow to ban
it."
Due to Grim's fundraising and lobbying efforts, the St. Louis gas
chamber shut down in January of this year.
The Euthanasia Process
From start to finish, the process of gassing an animal takes about 25
minutes. One or more animals are placed in an airtight chamber, and a
high concentration of bottled carbon monoxide gas is released.
Cats and dogs are rendered unconscious within a minute, then
eventually die from lack of oxygen.
Doug Fakkema, an animal-euthanasia expert, said that, in theory, the
gas chamber doesn't sound bad, but in reality it's awful.
"The animal is in a warm or hot box, usually with other animals. They
don't know what's going on. The hiss of the gas is going on inside.
They get dizzy, and they panic," he said. Fights can break out, and
animals' calls can sometimes be heard.
Today most private and city animal shelters euthanize animals with
sodium pentobarbital, a controlled substance that is injected into one
of a dog or cat's veins. Animals die in seconds, experts say, and
without pain or suffering.
Private-practice animal hospitals also use sodium pentobarbital to
euthanize sick and old family pets.
The American Humane Association (AHA), an animal- and child-welfare
nonprofit, says that lethal injection is the only acceptable method
for putting down dogs and cats.
Currently 13 states, including California, Florida, and New York,
require animal shelters to perform death by injection, according to
the AHA.
In
the rural farming community of Enoch, Utah, the animal shelter's brick
gas chamber uses carbon monoxide exhaust from an old pickup truck.
The city was heavily criticized for its method by animal welfare
organizations in 2002. To put the controversy to rest, the city hired
a veterinarian to perform a necropsy on a 50-pound (23-kilogram) dog
euthanized in the shelter's gas chamber.
His report found that there was no evidence of heat injury to the
dog's respiratory tract. No mouth or foot abrasions were found,
indicating the dog did not try to escape.
Enoch's animal-control officer, Jim Mitchell, said the shelter will
soon use bottled carbon monoxide gas, because a newly constructed
addition to the shelter is blocking the truck's access to the chamber.
The shelter, however, will not switch to sodium pentobarbital,
Mitchell said. "Unless you have an actual veterinarian on site to
administer and supervise the process, in my mind euthanization by
injection is inhumane."
Mitchell explained that only aggressive dogs are put down at the Enoch
shelter, adding that the animals would have to be held with a control
stick while a lethal injection was administered to their muscle or
chest cavity. (A control stick is a metal pole with a wire loop that
tightens around an animal's neck.)
He
also noted that the massive overdose of barbiturates may take as long
as 20 to 30 minutes to take effect if injected into a dog's chest,
during which time a dog would be stressed and possibly have
convulsions.
Injecting sodium pentobarbital into an animals muscle or chest cavity,
however, is not an acceptable practice, according to the American
Veterinary Medical Associations Euthanasia Report released in 2000.
Aggressive or fearful animals should be sedated prior to intravenous
(within the vein) administration of the drug, the report states.
Proper Training Urged
Jodi Buckman, director of animal-protection services for the American
Humane Association, said training shelter workers on proper euthanasia
techniques is important.
"We want them to be the most humane people in our communities, because
they are taking care of the homeless animals that no one else has
taken responsibility for," she said.
Currently four states—Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, and Nebraska—require
special training for workers who use lethal injection to euthanize
animals.
Animal welfare advocates say euthanasia rates are on the decline.
Experts attribute the decline in large part to aggressive spay and
neuter programs initiated by shelters and humane societies.
In
some parts of the United States, adoptable animals are now even in
demand.
To
cover the shortfall, volunteers drive to areas where a severe
overpopulation still exists, then take dogs and cats to cities seeking
adoptable pets.
The retail giant PETsMART recently built a custom bus specifically for
this purpose. The Rescue Waggin' program will save more than 4,000
pets annually, the company says.
"Probably within ten years the only animals that will still have to be
euthanized are those suffering, health-wise, or [those] that are too
dangerous to adopt out," Fakkema, the euthanasia expert, said.
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Miracle Dog: How Quentin Survived the Gas Chamber to Speak for
Animals on Death Row—a
new book by animal-welfare advocate Randy Grim—tells the story of
Quentin (pictured), the Basenji mix that survived the gas chamber
at a Missouri pound.
Photograph courtesy Randy Grim |
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Euthanasia and the Animal
Shelter
By Jean Hofve, DVM
More than 12 million cats and dogs enter U.S. shelters
annually, an endless tide of incoming animals. Few of these
animals will be reclaimed, and many shelters lack space to keep
even most adoptable animals. Of lost cats that end up in
shelters, only 2% will be returned to their homes. Dogs have it
better, because they are more likely to be wearing rabies or
identification tags, but even so only 16% will be reclaimed. On
average,only about 1/3 of animals put up for adoption at shelters
will actually find homes. For the rest, euthanasia. "Euthanasia" literally means "good death," and is usually
interpreted to mean a quick, painless, and humane method of dying.
It seems self-evident that death should also be in the best
interests of the animal. The decision to euthanize a sick,
dangerous, or otherwise unadoptable animal is relatively
uncomplicated to make. However, millions of healthy, friendly
animals also end up in shelters. They are adoptable -- but there
are just not enoughhomes available for all of them. It is the
task of shelters to select those who will be placed in the
adoption kennels. Animals who have been in the adoptionkennel too
long, and all the rest who never had the chance, are taken to the
euthanasia room.
Methods
The euthanasia method of choice for use in animal shelters is
the injection of an overdose of a barbiturate anesthetic called
sodium pentobarbital. In API's view, it is the only
acceptable method of euthanizing shelter animals. When injected
into a vein, this drug produces rapid unconsciousness and death
without the pain and distress that accompany all other methods.
For cats, kittens, puppies, and other small mammals, a direct
injection into the abdominal cavity is also acceptable, though not
as rapid or reliable as the intravenous route. This method is the
most cost-effective and overall least expensive of all euthanasia
techniques (according to the Michigan Humane Society, the cost of
lethal injection, materials and labor is $2.88 per animal). It
does require adequate staff training, and because each animal is
handled individually, it is somewhat more emotionally taxing to
workers than mass euthanasia methods. The injection process allows
shelter staff to provide personal comfort to each animal in its
last moments, which may greatly offset the emotional stress. Five
states (CA,FL, ME, OR, PA) specify lethal injection (usually of a
barbiturate) as the only allowable method of euthanasia,
and similar laws are currently being considered in Tennessee and
Rhode Island. About 20 states specifically allow lethal injection.
Shelters employ a number of other "euthanasia" methods. One
common method is the gas chamber. Either carbon monoxide (CO) or
carbon dioxide (CO2) is generally used, though some
still use nitrogen gas. California banned the use of CO gas
chambers for euthanasia effective January 1, 2001. Many injection
givers initially resisted the change, because injection requires
two workers and extended physical contact with the animal, but
once they understood the process, they realized it is better for
the animal, and actually less stressful for them. For some
animals, the gentle touch of a shelter worker during the
euthanasia processmay be the only real affection they have ever
had. The lethal injection technique allows the worker to comfort
the animal and experience closure of the death process. Three states (AZ, SC, TN) specifically allow nitrogen gas, and
three (OK, SC, TN) allow carbon monoxide; all of these states also
allow lethal injection, with gas as an alternate method. Gas
chambers have many limitations which make the method less
practical, slower, more dangerous to staff (a shelter worker died
of CO poisoning just last year), and ultimately more expensive
than lethal injection. Abuse of the chamber is common. While
shelter policies commonly require physical separation in
individual cages and close observation of the process, in many
cases animals are simply shoved into the chamber, the door sealed,
the button pushed, and the employee walks away. The sponsor of the
bill in Tennessee that would mandate lethal injection said of the
gas chamber that it "results in a slow, painful death." Ronald R.
Grier and Tom L. Colvin's 1990 Euthanasia Guide for Animal
Shelters recommends that all animals should be tranquilized
before placement in the chamber -- something that is virtually
never done in practice.
Three states (DE, OK, TN) allow chloroform for animals under 8
weeks of age (young animals up to 4 months old are resistant to
gas euthanasia). Eleven states defer to a higher authority, such
as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the state
veterinary board (OH), or the state veterinarian (VA), or provide
standards for humane death (IA, NH, ND, RI, SC, WA). One state
(SC) allows shooting (in emergencies). Only one state (AZ) allows
the use of T-61, a drug that is considered unacceptable by AVMA
because it immobilizes and suffocates the animal without causing
unconsciousness, resulting in pain and distress. Twenty-five
states have banned the use of "high altitude" decompression
chambers, which were used extensively in the 1950s and 1960s, but
were subsequently deemed to be cruel.The Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia is used as a
reference by hundreds of shelters around the country, and four
states (GA, KS, MO, NY) mandate using only methods considered
acceptable in this report. The report was revised in 2000;
unfortunately, the updated version has significant problems, but
nevertheless was passed and published by the AVMA, primarily
through the force of will of a single individual who ramrodded it
through -- over the reservations of the committee that produced
it, as well as the unanimous disapproval of the organization's
main governing body. The report fails to address the
inappropriateness of CO for animals under 16 weeks of age, and
sick, pregnant, injured, or old animals. In spite of the report's
own statement that CO2 "may be distressing" especially
to cats, it is included as an acceptable method of feline
euthanasia. Suffocating birds by pressing on their chests is
referred to as "apparently painless." Kill-traps, which rarely
function properly even under controlled laboratory conditions and
are indiscriminate killers of any animal that gets caught in them,
are promoted as "practical and effective" for wildlife. And
electrocution is considered "conditionally acceptable" for dogs.
Wide Disparity
Across the country, there is wide disparity among shelters and
their methods and application of euthanasia. Problems stemming
from inadequate training, insufficient funding, indifference to
animal suffering, and failure to recognize the need to change and
update procedures, are found everywhere, from small rural shelters
to large city facilities.
The urgent need for a consensus on
humane euthanasia is graphically illustrated by the following
recent cases:
- Rogers, AR. Lack of funding, lack of training, and
lack of equipment were blamed for four years
- of "euthanizing"
feral cats, skunks, raccoons, opossums, and other wild animals
by drowning.
- Trapped animals were left in their cages and simply
dropped into a plastic 55-gallon barrel
- (which was purchased for
that purpose in 1996) filled with water. The shelter's employees
- were told by the director that drowning was humane and legal --
it's neither. No charges were
- filed, but the practice was
stopped as soon as the mayor found out about it. The shelter now
- uses lethal injection.
- Long Hill, NJ. A kennel owner admitted using an
illegal drug to kill more than 600 animals in
- 1998 and almost
300 in 1999. The powerful muscle-relaxing drug, succinylcholine
chloride,
- was banned in 1988 for euthanasia in New Jersey. This
drug essentially paralyzes the animal,
- including the diaphragm
and breathing muscles, but has no effect on consciousness -- the
terrified
- animal is fully aware that he cannot breathe, and
helplessly suffocates to death. Numerous other
- violations were
found by inspectors on several surprise visits, including
failure to hold animals for
- the required length of time before
killing them, and neglecting to provide veterinary care to a dog
- with a broken leg. Additionally, more than 300 cats were killed
by injections directly into the heart --
- which is not only
stressful but acutely painful. The kennel owner was fined
$18,715.
- Vermilion Parish, LA. Animals are still euthanized by
a regular 6-cylinder gasoline engine that pumps
- acrid exhaust
gas into the small room where they are confined. Even though the
gas is pumped through
- water to cool it a little, the fumes are
still hot, irritating, and painful. Their skin and eyes burning,
- the animals die slowly and horribly. Animal protection groups
have been trying since 1992 to get
- the shelter to change to a
more humane method of euthanasia, but in spite of lawsuits and
letters,
- the parish remains resistant to voluntarily changing
its ways.
- Albuquerque, NM. An audit by the Humane Society of
the United States (HSUS) found many
- serious problems with the
care of animals at the two city shelters. The audit team was so
alarmed
- at the conditions that they issued a preliminary report
blasting the treatment of animals. HSUS
- representatives found
that dogs were killed by painful direct injections to the heart
while conscious
- , a practice that even the lenient AVMA
guidelines condemns as inhumane. Animals were restrained
- (and
sometimes lifted) with a "catch" or "control" pole (a
long-handled pole with a coated wire
- noose at one end that is
placed around the animal's neck and tightened), allegedly to
prevent
- injury to staff members. However, the audit team
concluded that it was more likely due to lack
- of training, as
well as an apparent lack of concern for the comfort, anxiety,
and needs of the
- animals being euthanized. The report states,
"The HSUS did not witness any instance where
- an animal was held
or comforted for a gentle death." Worst of all, the HSUS team
found that
- seven animals were still alive (their hearts were
beating) after they were placed in the freezer.
- The
Albuquerque shelters euthanize about 18,000 animals annually --
75% of the animals that
- come through their doors. (For
comparison, San Francisco's euthanasia rate is about 17%.)
- Sacramento, CA. As it had in Albuquerque, word got
out about the poor conditions at the
- Sacramento City animal
shelter. The HSUS was brought in to assess the shelter and make
- recommendations. Consultants found "most staff displaying a lack
of concern for an animal's
- anxiety level, pain response, and
overall well-being," as well as an obvious lack of training.
- Supervision was extremely poor in many areas. Shelter personnel
never scanned animals
- for microchips before killing them,
refused to use tranquilizers for fractious animals (relying
- instead on brute physical force to restrain them), killed dogs
in full view of live dogs awaiting
- euthanasia, and committed
many other violations of shelter policy. A chloroform chamber
used
- to kill small animals was used improperly. A live newborn
kitten was put into the chamber with
- six dead kittens who had
been killed the day before. The following day, a live pigeon was
- placed in the chamber with the seven dead kittens. An HSUS team
member finally asked a
- supervisor to check the chamber, at which
time he removed the dead animals -- four days
- after the first
six kittens died in it. Unlike Albuquerque, however, Sacramento
immediately
- began to remedy the deficits, and has made an effort
to be responsive to the report findings
- as well as to the
concerned citizens in the community.
Not all the news is bad, of course. At least one community has
had a major wake-up call. In Greensboro, NC, frustrated
Sheriff BJ
Barnes, upset at learning that more than 75% of the animals
entering his shelterwere being killed,
decided to televise the
euthanasia of a dog on his weekly show.
Viewers were shocked, but
they also got the message: animal overpopulation is everyone's
problem.
Adoptions from the local shelter skyrocketed, and local
veterinarians
reported an increase in inquiries about spaying and
neutering.
And cities like San Francisco, where municipal animal
control and the SPCA are working together to
make sure that every
adoptable animal gets a good chance for a home, have set a
wonderful example
for other agencies.
The Last Stop
The local shelter is too often the last stop for a dog or cat.
Shelters have been put into this unenviable
position by the
irresponsible breeding of far too many animals. Puppy mills, pet
stores, backyard
breeders, "responsible" hobby and show breeders,
people who simply won't, don't bother, or "forget"
to have their
animals spayed or neutered, pet food companies who subsidize
breeders with free
samples and discount coupons, and the cat and
dog breed "clubs" that encourage breeding -- all
contribute
to this massive problem. It is a sad fact that, when a human being
chooses to create a
relationship with another living being, then
fails to live up to the responsibilities that go with that
relationship, we allow the human to walk away guilt-free -- it is
always the animal who pays 100%
of the price for the human's
errors.
We often hear "responsible" breeders complain that the real
problem is the irresponsible owners,
backyard breeders, and puppy
mills. And there's no doubt that those are huge problems. Puppy
mills
around the country contribute thousands of puppies to pet
overpopulation every year. According to a
1999 issue of the Pet
Products News Buying Guide, a pet store trade publication,
"Livestock sales of
dogs rose a healthy 35.6 percent in 1998."
Sales generated from these puppies shot to $33.6 million
in 1998,
compared to $15.2 million in 1996.
But let's take a closer look at those "responsible" breeders.
They generally advertise in a few well-known
national magazines,
or on their own websites. In one issue of one cat magazine there
are individual listings
for about 700 breeders; and a similar
number in a comparable dog publication. If each of those breeders
produces only three litters per year (an extremely conservative
estimate), with an average of 6 per litter,
those breeders are
putting out more than 25,000 puppies and kittens per year. The
American Kennel Club
registered nearly 1,175,500 puppies in 2000;
the Cat Fanciers Association registered about 107,000 kittens
from
13,951 active breeders.
Whether they admit it or deny it, the truth is that each and
every person who -- accidentally or purposely --
produces even one
more puppy or kitten is part of the problem. We all have to
work together to solve it --
nobody can be exempt. Until pet
overpopulation is controlled, 8-10 million cats and dogs
will be killed this
year, and every year, in U.S. shelters. (And
this shocking figure doesn't include countless thousands of
animals who never make it to the shelter, but are abandoned to
live and die on the streets or in the country.)
The good news is that pet overpopulation is on the decline.
However, projections suggest it will be another
twenty-five years
before we end it; and that's only possible with continued hard
work, dedication, and public
education. We are making progress,
but this is in spite of people who continue to breed and
industries that
support breeding. If those who are creating the
problem would take full responsibility, we could reach the
ultimate goal -- to eliminate the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable
animals -- much faster.
A shelter should be there to care for animals, to relieve
suffering -- not amplify or prolong it. An animal may
have already
suffered greatly prior to ending up at a shelter, and the
unfamiliarity, confinement, and noise
of the shelter environment
is extremely stressful in and of itself. Therefore, we have an
obligation to ensure
that needless suffering is not that animal's
tragic end to life.
Special thanks to Jerry Elmore Layne and
Nicole Paquette for their extensive research and generous
assistance.
The Witness
By Jerry Elmore Layne (of Animals Have
Hearts, Too!)
A personal transformation took over my life in 1988, when I was
a witness, through a small porthole window,
of an animal shelter
gas chamber doing its savage business.
Two of the employees began pulling and tugging larger dogs
toward the chamber -- this, in itself, was savage.
The eyes of the
dogs were full of fear as they were shoved into a large cylinder
with another six dogs, all types.
Next, five puppies were placed
in the chamber.
Noise. Yelling. Fighting. All scared, they shivered again and
again, their eyes huge, their nostrils flaring.
They were
completely bewildered. One dog in the chamber, a male chow mix
about one year old, started
snapping at the puppies. All the dogs
and puppies were in a desperate struggle, and the gassing had yet
to begin.
Then a button was pushed, and the two employees walked away as
the chamber machine began pumping
out streams of carbon monoxide.
The little puppies started to paw at the glass window. After one
full minute
they started to whine and then produced a piercing
squeal. Then the larger dogs started a high, mournful
wailing,
then a deeper howl that rose in great desperation for 45 seconds.
That morning of my witness, the time from inception of hell for
the dogs and puppies, to the completion
of their cries of
desperation, was between two and six minutes.
As the employees walked away, I knew it was my love, my honor,
my devotion to animals that I must not
blink and watch every
second, every animal struggle to avoid death. However, tears from
my heart did
overwhelm me that tragic morning, and the final
insult was having to load the bodies of the dogs and
puppies into
a pickup truck and haul them to a local garbage dump.
The Human Toll
Shelter workers must daily confront the need to euthanize many
healthy, friendly, adoptable animals. They
must accept these
animals from the public, listen to the flimsy excuses for
relinquishment ("I'm moving,"
"I got new furniture," "My boyfriend
doesn't like him"), smile politely, and swallow the words that
they must
so often want to shout -- "This animal trusts you! This
animal loves you! You have a responsibility here! How
can you
abandon him?" Having accepted these unwanted animals, shelter
workers must feed, brush, walk,
care for, and get to know them for
three or five or seven days, and then, except for those few that
have been
adopted, they must take them into a small, barren room
and kill them.
How do shelter workers cope with their duties that, on one
hand, require them to care deeply for the animals
they work with,
yet on the other hand, require them to release that attachment
when the animal is either adopted
or euthanized?
Research has shown that new shelter workers tend to become very
attached to certain animals, whose
subsequent death was terribly
distressing. Over time, workers learn to keep a certain impersonal
distance
between themselves and the animals, seeing them as more
of "a population of refugees" than as individuals,
as pets. Those
who are responsible for euthanasia concentrated on the mechanics
of the act, becoming
proficient at killing so that they can gain
some satisfaction for making the death as quick and painless as
possible. They may compensate by becoming more involved in foster
programs, education about spay/neuter,
or other means of
increasing adoptions and reducing the numbers of incoming animals.
They must all make
a special effort to control their feelings of
frustration, anger, and hostility in order to interact
appropriately with
co-workers and the public.
Shelter workers also learn to see euthanasia as a means of
preventing suffering. Death becomes a better
alternative than
other fates that could befall the animals -- starving to death,
contracting a serious disease,
or being abandoned, injured,
predated upon, poisoned, sold to a research lab, abused in an
unhappy home,
or used as target practice or as bait for fighting
dogs.
Understandably, shelter workers sometimes transfer their
frustration and anger onto the people who brought
the animals in,
and blame them as the ones who behaved wrongly or immorally toward
the animals. They
see the public as "the enemy." One shelter
worker said, "People think we are murderers, but they are the
ones
that have put us in this position." And certainly much of the
problem does lie with the throwaway attitude
of society, the
irresponsible people who fail to spay and neuter, who let their
animals run loose. This attitude
does not necessarily make it easy
for animals to be adopted out, as some shelter workers see all
people
in the same tainted light, and they have trouble trusting
potential adopters.
One thing shelter workers should not do is to separate
themselves so much from the euthanasia act that they
become
apathetic. Carter Luke, a consultant with the Massachusetts SPCA,
says, "I don't consider uncaring
people effective. If you become
too comfortable with euthanasia so that it doesn't affect you,
you've lost an edge.
Because euthanasia is not an acceptable
solution to pet overpopulation. We should always see it as
something
we abhor, and wish to get rid of or at least minimize.
We should never become comfortable with euthanasia."
While shelter workers eventually learn to cope with the stress
of euthanasia, they all experience uneasiness
at certain times, or
at a low but constant level. Spring and summer -- when large
numbers of animals,
especially kittens, come into the shelters --
are especially difficult. "Some days we can be euthanizing all
morning and you look at the pile of animals that nobody wants and
it hurts." But then they remember the
ones who lived, the ones who
found wonderful homes. It is sometimes a dirty job, but it does
have its rewards.
Kentucky Shelter
Litigation
By Sheila Hughes Rodriguez
On July 10, 2000, API, In Defense of Animals, the Trixie
Foundation, and 19 other Kentucky plaintiffs sued the
Kentucky
Commissioner of Agriculture and 70 counties for failure to protect
and regulate dogs throughout the
state (The Trixie Foundation,
et al. v. Billy Ray Smith, Commissioner, et al., No.
00CI-00792). The case
is best summarized in plaintiffs' pleadings:
"Kentucky dog pounds come in two forms: (1) non-existent or (2)
so
pitifully inhumane as to be worse than non-existent."
The plaintiffs in this class action law suit are seeking to
compel the defendants to maintain a dog pound,
employ a dog
warden, and humanely euthanize dogs, obligations which Kentucky
officials have blatantly
ignored for nearly half a century. In
fact, there is evidence that several counties have permitted
various
forms of euthanasia which are not only inhumane but
barbaric.
On January 11 and March 6, 2001, the plaintiffs responded to
defendants' motions to have the case
dismissed on various grounds,
namely venue. A ruling on these motions is expected soon.
Since the filing of the law suit, at least two counties have
taken steps to improve conditions, including
seeking grant money
to build a new shelter and appointing a new dog pound operator.
Katie Marie Brophy, a Louisville attorney known for her work on
behalf of animals, is representing the
plaintiffs pro bono
in this case. |
|
Correspondence RE: Utah County, Utah Gas Chamber Committee
We have overnighted to you the information you requested regarding
euthanasia by the intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) routes. As
noted in previous correspondence, the American Veterinary Medical
Association’s Panel on Euthanasia states that the use of intracardiac
(IC) injections is acceptable only in unconscious, comatose or
anesthetized animals.
We have sent a copy of the Humane Society of the United States’
“Euthanasia Training Manual” for your reference and review. It is an
excellent resource for establishing a humane and safe euthanasia
protocol.
Per our discussion last Friday, a safe and humane euthanasia program
would follow these guidelines:
·
The drug used for euthanasia is sodium pentobarbital.
·
Euthanasia of handleable cats, kittens, and pups under about 10 pounds
require two staff members. One person holds the animal, preferably on a
steady table, in a safe manner and comforts/distracts them. The other
person administers the IP injection of sodium pentobarbital into the
abdomen (about ½ - 1 inch behind the umbilicus on the midline and angled
slightly towards the head) by inserting the needle and drawing back – if
blood or urine is aspirated, the needle must be withdrawn and inserted
again. If no fluid is aspirated, the person injects. The animal is then
placed in a quiet, covered/darkened cage or crate (if the crate or cage
is in the euthanasia room, a towel should be placed over the
cage/crate.) The IP dose is three times the IV/IC dose, or
normally 3 ml’s per each 10 pounds of body weight. More details and
illustrations of proper restraint and the IP technique are found in the
HSUS Manual on pages 46-47 and pages 95-98.
·
Feral cats can often be euthanized by an IP injection of sodium
pentobarbital up through the bottom of a live trap. If the cat must be
held as a stray or quarantined for any reason and has been placed in a
cage, the use of a squeeze cage, shield, etc., to maneuver the cat to
the back of the cage to allow for an IP injection is best. After
injection, as above, staff should cover the trap/cage with a towel and
try to keep the area quiet. As above, the dosage is at least 3 ml’s per
10 pounds of body weight. Feral or aggressive cats may be given a
pre-euthanasia drug (xylazine-ketamine combination or telazol) injection
intramuscularly (IM) via a trap, squeeze cage, etc. Photos on pages 58,
64, and 68 of the HSUS Manual illustrate some of these methods.
·
Handleable dogs should be euthanized with one person holding the dog for
safety and to comfort him, while the other person injects sodium
pentobarbital IV.
·
There is normally no need to clip the dog’s hair unless the vein cannot
be seen or felt. It often helps to wet the skin in that area with water
to see the vein. Upon injection, the animal will become unconscious
quickly, often immediately. This method is often faster than the IC
method because IC injections actually place the drug into the animals’
lungs, resulting in a delayed and very painful death. The IV dose is the
same as the IC dose. IV injection is explained in detail in the HSUS
Manual on pages 42-46 and 81-94.
·
Aggressive dogs can be anesthetized first with an injection of
xylazine-ketamine combination or Telazol IM. The use of xylazine alone
to sedate has unpredictable results and is not recommended. Once the dog
is adequately sedated or anesthetized, staff can proceed with the sodium
pentobarbital IV injection as detailed above. Pre-euthanasia medications
are discussed in the HSUS Manual on pages 67-80.
·
If and only if an animal is fully unconscious, comatose or
anesthetized (using the xylazine-ketamine combo IM, or Telazol IM), can
IC injections be performed. Intracardiac injection is explained on pages
47-48 and 99-101 of the HSUS Manual.
·
After an animal has been injected IV or, if anesthetized first, IC, they
should be removed from the room and laid out individually and out of
sight of other animals, so that they can be checked to ensure that death
has occurred (no bagging or putting in freezers, dumpsters, etc., until
death had been absolutely determined.) Determination of death is
explained in the HSUS Manual on pages 111-114.
·
Animals should not watch other animals be euthanized or see the bodies
of other animals. These and other considerations are addressed on pages
21-22 of the HSUS Manual.
My attempt to reach you yesterday was unsuccessful. I wanted to
discuss two ideas with you that could immediately stop the
suffering of those animals at the Orem shelter who continue to be killed
by injection directly into the heart while conscious. Implementing
either of these procedures would provide a safe and humane death for
those animals who, sadly, must be euthanized, while allowing you time to
review this information and revise the euthanasia procedures at the Orem
shelter. These are the two ideas we would like you to consider for
immediate implementation:
- Arranging for a local veterinarian to euthanize
the animals using the IV (IP when appropriate) methods. We would be
willing to help you locate a vet and to help pay for their services
(we would have to discuss methods of euthanasia with the vet in
question in advance).
OR
- Contacting local vets to obtain an acceptable
pre-euthanasia medication (xylazine-ketamine combo or Telazol) which
can be given IM. Once and only once anesthesia has been confirmed, the
animals may be euthanized by sodium pentobarbital IC. We are willing
to do whatever we can to assist in that process as well.
Please contact me today at 804-693-9208 to let us know
how we can help your shelter to immediately stop killings animals in an
unacceptable and inhumane manner, and start euthanizing safely and
compassionately.
Thank you for your willingness to find a better way for the animals
and the staff at your shelter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Tonya Higgins, DVM, Animal Sheltering Advisor
757-622-7382 ext. 8015 or 804-693-9208
tonyah@peta.org
Fax: 757-628-0796
Copied to us from Former ANimal Shelter Director:
Dear Lt. Conner: I am sure you have your hands full right now & it
sounds like you have already addressed some pressing issues.
I read your thoughts on the cost involved with euthanasia by injection &
would like to relate some facts to you from experience.
I am relatively
sure you will be getting actual costs from others so I won't address
that part.
I retired from a shelter that I founded. We had 2/3rds of the county's
animals coming there under contract which meant we had to do a lot of
euthanasia. Most of the time I was there alone & much of it was done by
me, alone. I always used a tranquilizer
first. Cats were tranq'd in a
trap, then removed to euth. For small/medium dogs I used a wire crate
that was fitted with a squeeze
board For a larger dog I could give the
anesthesia while I had it pushed against something with my leg. For
nasty dogs we had
a dart gun or I waited until I had help.
Fatal Plus was designed for shelters & is very inexpensive. I used it
in the powder form which gets mixed with water.
None of this is easy on your staff but I truly believe that euthanasia
by injection is far superior in cost, stress & all around morale. There
is training available from national humane societies.
I hope you will give this a closer look & decide not to use the
dangerous, inhumane gas chamber for your animals. If I can be of
any
assistance to you please do not hesitate to write to me.
Sincerely
Susan W. Mowry
_______________________________________ From: HSUS You might want to consider updating the info that is distributed to the county officials. Specifically, HSUS considers the use of CO to be conditionally acceptable as long as certain criteria are followed. However, the many restrictions of this method make it nearly impossible for any shelter that uses the method to comply with recommendations (HSUS or AVMA, for that matter). Humane euthanasia by injection, when properly administered by caring, trained staff, is the preferred method. The most recent statement on CO usage can be found at www.animalsheltering.org. Go to "Shelter Library" and click on Euthanasia. The AVMA's statement can be found at their Web site (which is what most counties and state laws refer to, unfortunately-- and I say that because the AVMA's Report on Euthanasia from 2000 was really not written for shelters, and therefore is not practical in most shelter settings).
Additionally, the article below contains numerous outdated statements with regard to state euthanasia laws. I'll use TN as an
example: the article incorrectly states that certain methods are allowed, when in fact laws have passed since 2001 (I assume that's when the article was written), following pressure by HSUS, local humane groups and concerned individuals and the death of a Chattanooga ACO from CO exposure. Humane euthanasia is required, as is the certification of technicians. Also, many states do allow for shooting in field emergencies (not just one state). The following section contains some inaccuracies as well:
> Three states (DE, OK, TN) allow chloroform for animals under 8
weeks of age (young animals up to 4 months old are resistant to gas euthanasia). Eleven > states defer to a higher authority, such as the American Veterinary Medical > Association (AVMA), the state veterinary board (OH), or the state > veterinarian (VA), or provide standards for humane death (IA, NH, ND, RI,> SC, WA). One state (SC) allows shooting (in emergencies). Only one state > (AZ) allows the use of T-61, a drug that is considered unacceptable by AVMA
> because it immobilizes and suffocates the animal without causing
> unconsciousness, resulting in pain and distress. Twenty-five
states have > banned the use of "high altitude" decompression chambers, which were used > extensively in the 1950s and 1960s, but were subsequently deemed to be > cruel. > The Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia is used as a reference by > hundreds of shelters around the country, and four states (GA, KS, MO, NY)
> mandate using only methods considered acceptable in this report.
Not trying to be critical, but thought you might want to do a little more research in this area to ensure the information presented is the most recent. For more info on laws pertaining to euthanasia, you may want to contact Vicki Katrinak at HSUS Government Affairs, vkatrinak@hsus.org.
Hope this is helpful.
__________________________________________________________
I hope it will help
you. I am so for a peacefull exit for these
animals. About 7 years ago , it was all out war here, All in th newspapers
on the news. I was right in the middle of it. But things have changed. It
was worth all the mud. Do not stop. Keep up a good fight. Gas chambers
need
to be outlawed.
Debbie Lowery
Southern Paws Rescue
Vicksburg, Miss.
www.southernpawsrescue.com
a 501(c)3 non-profit My staff over the course of the past
year and a half, have had more issues with having to inject the animals
and have them flop around and die. One employee was having nightmares over
that. We can go back and forth on this issue, but it is stressful no
matter what procedure, to hold or deal with putting any animal down. We
will look at your issues, but realize we have to operate the shelter as a
business and do so in the most economical way and most efficient way. I am
appreciative of you input though.
>>> <Suebgone@aol.com> 5/18/05 8:30 AM >>>
Thanks for your reply but I must clear up a misunderstanding. When I
referred to the "stress"factor I meant when using the gas chamber. I
just can't imagine putting animals into that box & having to hear them
screaming. Also the time it takes for them to die is a great deal
longer than by injection.
I must also confess, that I did with all that were not feral or nasty,
take them out & hold them until the anesthesia took hold. That is
very comforting to the animal & the staff.
Of course any euthanasia is troublesome to those doing it. You are
killing things that you love, but doing it by injection is by far less
traumatic to all concerned.
Sincerely
Sue Mowry
From the November-December 2000 Issue of
Animal Sheltering Magazine
AVMA Recommends Unacceptable Methods
The HSUS calls new report on euthanasia "a step backward"
"Kill traps"like the one that crushed the body of this cat do not
meet the AVMA's own definitions of euthanasia, yet they are included
among recommended methods in the latest Panel on Euthanasia report.
© Alvina Pitches
Martinsville-Henry County SPCA
For several decades, public and private animal shelters have looked
to the American Veterinary Medical Association to provide expert
advice on euthanasia methods. The AVMA's Panel on Euthanasia report,
revised every seven years, has added powerful clout to animal
protectionists lobbying for better laws.
That's why The HSUS and other animal advocates were dismayed by the
inclusion of inhumane methods in the most recent update of the 1993
panel report. Issued in June, the report is already in the final
stages despite a unanimous rejection by the AVMA's own House of
Delegates.
The HSUS submitted a lengthy document detailing the problems
presented by the updated version. Primary among the concerns was the
fact that many of the recommended methods are a far cry from meeting
the true definition of euthanasia as a "good death."Because some
state and local laws prescribe that euthanasia be administered in
accordance with AVMA guidelines, The HSUS fears the updated report
could serve as justification for inhumane practices. Specific
problems in the panel report include:
Past reports have stated that gunshot is not an appropriate method
for routine animal care and control situations, but the latest draft
omits this admonishment. The HSUS is concerned that the removal of
this statement could open the door for some animal care and control
agencies to consider gunshot a viable method for routine, non-
emergency killing of animals.
The new report calls thoracic compression—or manual suffocation—
"apparently painless."The HSUS believes this statement is not based
in scientific fact. The report also says the "level of distress is
unknown"; such uncertainties should rule out the method entirely.
Thoracic compression does not ensure the death of an animal, and in
some cases, the animal may resuscitate.
The report alludes to "kill traps"—or traps that crush the animal's
body—with a vague interpretation of how the devices should be used
and who should be allowed to use them. Kill traps do not meet the
AVMA's own definition of "euthanasia."The use of kill traps would
result in massive suffering of animals, including non-targeted
species.
The report does not adequately address limitations regarding the use
of carbon monoxide. To ensure a humane death, The HSUS believes that
animals less than 16 weeks old should be euthanized by an injection
of sodium pentobarbital. While the AVMA report says inhalants are
generally inappropriate for animals of this age, it does not make
specific reference to the age factor in its discussion of the use of
carbon monoxide. The report also fails to mention that sick,
pregnant, injured, or old animals must be euthanized with an
injection of sodium pentobarbital, not in carbon monoxide chambers.
Also missing from the carbon monoxide section of the report are
guidelines for ensuring that chambers are not overloaded, warnings
not to place animals of different species into the chambers at the
same time, and advice to use only chambers of commercial
construction.
The report no longer includes the statement found in previous
reports that larger animals such as cats and swine "appear to be
more distressed by carbon dioxide euthanasia; therefore, other
methods are preferable."In fact, carbon dioxide appears on a chart
of acceptable methods for dogs and cats at the end of the latest
document. Again, The HSUS, which deems carbon dioxide an acceptable
method only when used on certain species of wildlife in emergency
field situations, believes no scientific evidence exists to justify
this change. The AVMA report itself references multiple sources that
suggest that "inhalation of high concentrations of carbon dioxide
may be distressing to animals"; that distress factor alone should
rule out carbon dioxide as a method of euthanasia for companion
animals when other, more humane alternatives are available.
While previous reports have mentioned electrocution as an acceptable
method of euthanasia for foxes, sheep, swine, and mink, the updated
report presents electrocution as conditionally acceptable for cats
and dogs as well. The HSUS opposes this practice.
The report is now being internally edited, but the public comment
period is closed. As a result, The HSUS is considering writing its
own definitive guide on acceptable euthanasia methods for the animal
care and control field. "We hope the next time the panel is brought
together, its makeup will better represent the animal care and
control community,"says HSUS Director of Animal Sheltering Issues
Kate Pullen.
_____________________________________________
Hi,
Yes the injection is the only way to do it humanely with no stress to the
animals. I think we owe them at least that much.
I do know that classes are offered for those that can handle it and even
then it is very hard on the heart. This shelter really needs to look into
it..
The only reason I did it, is because I saw how the animals were hog tied
and
then injected inot the chest cavity, It took them a while to die.
Horrible.
I was on the war path then. The correct way is just like if you were to
have your loving pet put to sleep. Held comforted and loved. peaceful.
If I can help in any way let me know. Things have got to change.
Debbie
I think these are good suggestions, Sue. Denise and I spoke by phone
last week, and I believe we agree that the information presented must
not overwhelm the county officials. I am sending two euthanasia manuals
with easy-to-read guidelines on EBI, so that they can see how it should
be done. This also contains the cost analysis and CO guidelines. In
addition to the manual, I would present them with HSUS guidelines and
stay away from emphasizing anything in the AVMA report other than the
fact that hey do not recommend placing animals under 4 months in the
chamber (that's about the only similarity between AVMA and HSUS
guidelines--there is no mention of pregnant, old, sick or injured
animals, and their description of an acceptable chamber is very vague).
It must also be considered that there is controversy over whether or not
current data proves animals are actually in distress the way that "we"
view distress. When they use the term, it is physiologically-based.
Although they may indicate that there is scientific proof that an animal
experiences distress, that is NOT the same as stating that the animal
experiences pain and suffering. This has yet to be proven by anyone
(e.g., although animals in a chamber will vocalize, so do animals coming
in and out of anesthesia--that in itself is not an indication of pain).
If AVMA believed the method to be cruel, it would not be recommended at
all in the Report. The other information that should be provided is any
information from shelters who have decided that EBI is a better choice
than CO. I am sending Denise a statement from Forsyth County, NC animal
control that makes just such a statement.
If the reality is that the county refuses to make the change from CO to
EBI (and if they do agree to do this, training MUST be implemented, and
are they willing to provide this?) then they should be held accountable
for ensuring that the current method is done as humanely as possible.
At the very least, they should be following HSUS guidelines, and that
means they must have an alternative method such as EBI (done correctly)
for the young, old, pregnant, sick and injured. Basically, in most
shelters, the number of inappropriate animals far outweighs those that
are considered appropriate candidates for CO.
HSUS has considered following American Humane's lead by opposing the use
of CO (and we are in the process of updating our current statement to
REALLY emphasize our position that EBI should always be used). However,
consider this--if HSUS completely abolished the CO recommended
guidelines, then what would be left? The AVMA Report would be the only
remaining set of guidelines, and obviously that hasn't worked to the
animals' benefit at all.
I am hoping that Colin Berry in our Northern Rockies Regional Office
will be able to assist further in this endeavor. UT is a long way away
from my region! But I will be happy to help in any way possible.
Out
of all of Indiana shelters, we only have 1 that still gases.
From: Suzanne Iovino [mailto:SIovino@slco.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:39 PM
To: Little Dog Angel 2
Denise,
I will
forward your e-mail to Jackie Strasters. She is our shelter manager and
she and her staff are responsible for euthanasia here and she makes sure
they are all trained and certified in euthanasia by injection. I
know she is very against the chamber as we all are, but probably she
would be the most knowledgeable and articulate as to why euthanasia by
injection is better.
Doug Fakkema used
to teach euthanasia by injection. In fact he's the one who certified
most of the 'old' staff here. He is a very kind and compassionate man
and he would be a great resource for this cause if he would be willing
to speak to some of the people involved in making the decision. Please
e-mail him and tell him I recommended that you contact him. His email
is
Dkfakkema@aol.comddress.
I hope this
information is helpful and I wish you all the luck in the world with
your quest. To build a brand new shelter and put in a gas chamber is
kind of like building a new home with no indoor plumbing. It just
doesn't make sense. I sure hope they do the right thing.
Please let
me know how things go.
Take care,
Suzanne
Salt Lake County Animal
Shelter
-----Original Message-----
From: AnimalShelterReform@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AnimalShelterReform@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Dawn
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 1:00 PM
To: AnimalShelterReform@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AnimalShelterReform] Madison Indiana no longer gasses unless
rabid
This shelter stopped this procedure in February and seems to be
practicing more humane euthanasia and working closely with rescue.
The animals seen on the outside of the building were found on the road
except for one that had heart worms that was euthanized by a vet. The
incinerator has a key and only the AC officer holds this key so this dog
was left outside until he could be disposed of properly.
Dawn SAD STORY
Hello. My name is "Lost Soul" and I'm
a stray mutt mix who was found by an animal control officer when I was
trying to find food insomebody's garbage can. I'm starving, skinny and
scared. I'm 3 yearsold, and my whole life was spent chained to a tree.
My owner movedand just let me run free. I'm not that beautiful. I'm a
black labmix like most of the other "prisoners" at the shelter. Most
peoplewill pass me by because of my emaciated body and skin problems.
Iknow it's time for me to go to heaven and I accept this. I just wishI
could die a peaceful death with a shot. But no, I will die in theGAS
CHAMBER in Johnston County, NC. I will be put in a box with manyother
dogs and locked in. I will be scared and start to cry. I hopenone of the
other dogs get mad and start to attack me which is verycommon in this
situation. I will start to breathe in the gas and Iwill feel my eyes and
mouth burn and I will start howling. I willtake my little nose and put
it to the bottom of the grate to try tocatch some fresh air. This isn't
working, Oh God, Please Help, Ican't breathe! I'm vomiting, dizzy and
starting to black out andconvulse. I hear the other "lost souls" scream
and some blood issplattered on me because I'm pawing to get out.. and I
cut the padson my paws off. Oh My God this hurts and I'm so scared!
I'mwondering why I have to die this way?? All I ever wanted was afamily
to love and warm lap to sit on!! Why do convicted murdererson death row
get a shot, but I have to die in a GAS CHAMBER? I wishI could die with a
shot, with a vet holding me and rubbing my eartelling me everything will
be okay. I would die with some dignityand not defecate or urinate on
myself. I better give in to the gasand go to heaven now, for if I don't
die, they will put me in thegas chamber and do it again. I can't wait to
get to heaven and haveall the angels rub my belly and give me kisses.In
the meantime,please call Rick Hester the County Manager in Johnston
County at919-989-5100 and beg him not to let any other innocent strays
die this way.Rick.Hester@mail.co.johnston.nc.us is his Email address if
you want towrite him. You can also call or email the county
commissioners if youwant. If you don't want to call them, please call
the news ornewspapers and tell them that you don't want your tax money
used for the GASCHAMBER. Thank you for hearing my story and the next
timeyou see a stray in Johnston County, please say a prayer for them,for
if they don't get adopted, they will die in the GAS CHAMBER likeme.
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