Animal Shelter Gas Chambers

[JustJo]

I am so out of it and I am angry at myself for it! I never realized this was going on until I heard it on the news this morning. As bad as all the euthanasia going on in this country is I never realized they were still using gas chambers in so many states!!! :mad: I was under the naive conception that they were all at least using a humane lethal injection process. I am currently trying to find out what method our Richmond shelters are using. I have a call in to the gal I met that volunteers there.

John - would it be the right step to write my congressman about this if Richmond is doing this or who is the best contact?

Here are some of the links to the recent news reports. The one surviving dog is an amazing story!



[URL=]http://www.api4animals.org/1039.htm (]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0411_050411_peteuthanasia.html[/URL)

[JustJo]

Okay. Just found out that it depends on which county in Richmond I am talking about. Henrico and Chesterfield Counties use humane lethal injection. The others use the gas chamber.

I found the group that is spearheading the campaign to end this cruelty in my area and am going to call them. It is the Save Our Shelters group that I have put many a buck in the jar for at the convienience stores and at PetSmart. I knew they did rescue and adoption but didn't realize they also are activists in the advocacy of the poor ones they cannot rescue and are in the pounds on death row. I am contacting them to find out everything I can do.

I urge everyone to find out the truth about their local shelters and how the animals are being killed. If you read up on this gas chamber practice it will make you sick. This MUST be stopped! It is horrible enough that all of these animals have to die because of us humans...does it have to be painful and cruel also????

[Magnum]

I know exactly how you feel Jo!! :( I was appalled at the thought of the different methods of euthanasia. :mad: Birds and rodents have an even wider range of acceptable (not to us) methods of euthanasia. Your second link will be an eye-opener for some that are not aware of the euthanasia percentage, as well as the methods used.

This is one criteria I cover when I choose my vet. I have always interviewed the vet prior to taking my pets to them for health care. I want to know exactly who my pets are seeing and even their facility. Any vet I have spoken to that will not let me tour their facility, or acts like they are irritated by my questions or requests will not be seeing my feather and fur babies.

The first link is definitely an amazing story!!

Quentin's guardian angel was working overtime for sure.

[mzdolittle]

Just this week, it was on the local news that Catawba County, where I live, is going to stop using the gas chamber at the county "shelter." I use the term "shelter" for lack of another word. They are going to start using the "more humane" method of lethal injection. It's about time! The county also has plans to start ground breaking on a no-kill shelter sometime this year. This is a good thing, but there's no way it can be big enough to house all of the stray and unwanted animals. I don't know what the criteria will be to decide which animals get lucky and which will still be put to death. I'm trying to find out, but so far, no one is talking. I guess these baby steps in the right direction are better than nothing. (sigh)

[JustJo]

That is good news mzdoolittle. From my understanding the animals selected "to live" are the ones that are highly adoptable. Typically any very large dog is killed right away because they are more expensive to upkeep and most people are not looking for large dogs. At least your county is moving in the right direction!