The troubled AC unit in Gaston Co NC (which recently killed a dog who had a home eagerly waiting for him with the Painter family) was a hot topic at last week’s county commissioner’s meeting.
[T]he people who attended the meeting voiced a slew of concerns. They criticized the shelter’s limited operating hours that inhibit more animal rescues and adoptions. They derided Gaston County’s decision to continue euthanizing thousands of dogs and cats using carbon monoxide gas, instead of using only lethal injection, which is widely considered to be more humane. And they chastised the shelter’s practice of deeming many incoming animals as “unadoptable” simply because they act shy or scared, don’t have a desirable weight or show minor signs of illness.
Anita Painter learned that the stray Labrador mix she hoped to adopt was euthanized because it was “unadoptable” by virtue of being too old, at only about six years of age. She questioned the ability of animal shelter employees to judge which animals are not fit for adoption, as there is no veterinarian on staff.
Good point. I would further question the ability of anyone who determines a 6 year old, healthy, friendly dog is better off dead than given any chance on the adoption floor.
[Animal Control administrator Reggie] Horton said the high volume of animals coming into the shelter are primarily surrendered by their owners. But many of them are feral, sick or wouldn’t make good pets, so the shelter must weed out which ones aren’t fit for adoption.
If they’re mainly surrendered pets, then they’re not feral. “Wouldn’t make good pets”. How do you know, especially given that you’re killing friendly dogs before they’ve even set foot on the adoption floor?
A licensed veterinary technician is among the shelter employees who employ Humane Society of the United States guidelines in conducting “temperament testing.”
Oh. Oh dear.
Horton said it costs about $11 per animal to euthanize using lethal injection, compared to $4 per animal using gas.
False. According to a 2009 study (pdf) commissioned by the American Humane Association (using data from a NC shelter by the way), “the cost to use carbon monoxide gas is $4.98 per animal. The cost to use carbon monoxide poisoning without a tranquilizer is $4.66 per animal. The cost to use EBI [euthanasia by injection], however, was only $2.29 per animal.”
I guess the problems with Gaston Co AC can be summed up as follows:
Gaston County Manager Jan Winters said the shelter does euthanize 74 percent of the animals it receives.
[…]
“There’s a lot of change going on that’s really positive,” he said. “The fact is, people don’t take care of their animals in Gaston County.”
Nice. Blame the public. It’s the irresponsible people of Gaston County’s fault that your AC unit needlessly kills healthy, friendly pets in the gas chamber and lies about the cost. Damn them.
The practices of this NC shelter is disgusting all the employees need to be fired!!!!along with the head person they can’t possibly like animals.