The article below is about the Davie County Animal Shelter in Mocksville, North Carolina in 2005. After a puppy was found in a dumpster, alive following a failed euthanasia attempt, the county decided to bring in a veterinarian consultant. But this consultant also SELLS GAS CHAMBERS. Why would a county trust a gas chamber company owner to tell them what way is best to euthanize animals? Is this a conflict of interest? You decide. Two years later, the county is still using the gas chamber.
County Considers Change at Shelter
Davie County Enterprise Record, Mocksville, N.C
May 2005
By Jackie Seabolt - The discovery last month of a live puppy inside a garbage bag at the local landfill - the lone survivor of a botched euthanasia attempt by a county shelter employee - has raised interest among animal welfare groups. It has them asking the question, “Is Davie’s animal shelter in compliance with the state law?” On Tuesday, April 26, members of Davie County’s Humane Society met with County Manager Terry Bralley to discuss the issue. Local veterinarian and Humane Society President Robin Brock said the purpose was to find a way to resolve the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Brock said she was contacted by a representative from an animal protection group outside of North Carolina who expressed interest in attending the meeting. No one from the group was in attendance. Brock reviewed a state law which says a dog or cat not wearing required rabies vaccination tags and not reclaimed by its owner during an impoundment period can be put to death by a procedure approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the United States, or of the American Humane Association. She passed out handouts from the American Veterinarian Medical Association on euthanasia. AVMA’s panel on euthanasia recommends inhalants, like the carbon monoxide used at the shelter, not be used on animals less than 16 weeks of age except to induce unconsciousness, followed by the use of some other method to kill the animal. Brock said younger animals do not inhale oxygen at the same rate an adult would and it’s possible they could inhale the carbon monoxide quickly and be knocked unconscious without actually killing them. She said that was probably what happened to the puppy found at the landfill. “That’s the AVMA’s recommendation, and we’re not following it,” Brock said.
Davie Animal Control Officer Robert Cook spoke next and brought those in attendance up to date on what has taken place at the shelter since the incident.
Cook said he plans to bring in a veterinarian from Pittsboro, Dr. Ralph Houser of Carolina Veterinary Consulting, who has helped other shelters in the state employ proper euthanasia methods. "He has agreed to come here within the next week or so and help us through this trauma and assist us in making whatever change is necessary."
Cook said interpreting the law can be confusing.
"One says recommends is the law, and one says recommends is not the law." We don't want to do this, period. But my position is we want to do what’s right.
Houser assisted Davidson County in the design of their euthanasia chamber. It is a clear plexiglass design that allows for easy viewing of the animals during induction.
Cook estimated that the cost of a new chamber and training of personnel by Houser would cost the county less than $6000.
"I would like for us to allow him the time to observe our situation and make the necessary recommendations," Cook said. He can bring us together on what's right."
Brock referenced a handout that listed one of the minimum standards for carbon monoxide use. It stated that the chamber must be equipped with view ports and be well lit to permit viewing.
Davie’s euthanasia chamber does not meet this standard and uses a “timing method” to determine when the process is complete.
If you would have had port holes on the sides of the chamber, would it have made a difference?” asked Humane Society board member Dave McGonigle.
“No sir,“ Cook answered.
“So the issue is really how to handle the smaller animals that don’t inhale carbon monoxide on a basis rapid enough to euthanize. Maybe have a process in place for them that will keep them longer at the shelter to make sure they don’t recover,” McGonigle said. "When this guy Houser comes he probably won't have a better idea, just better equipment and better training, unless we go to another process."
That other process would be death by injection with sodium pentobarbital
Though the AVMA recommends carbon monoxide and sodium pentobarbital as acceptable animal shelter euthanasia methods, injection of sodium pentobarbital is preferred. And the American Humane Association recently adopted injection as the only acceptable method for animal shelter euthanasia. Davie’s shelter has five part-time employees.
Doing injectable euthanasia on every animal put down can be stressful for employees and the animals, increase the risk of injury, and compound the grief and guilt that already comes with the job,” Cook said.
“I don’t know how you would find the personnel to do that.”
Bralley asked Humane Society board members if they thought the county was moving forward in a responsible way to deal with the situation.
All those present at the meeting said they thought the county was dealing with the issue in a positive way.
The Humane Society will meet again to review Houser's recommendations after is visit to the shelter sometime this month.