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News & Events

Garland animal shelter to limit use of carbon monoxide for euthanization
10-03-2009

In a reversal, the Garland animal shelter is changing how it euthanizes animals, shifting from carbon monoxide gas to lethal injection in most cases by year's end.

The changes come less than two weeks after a Dallas Morning News investigation revealed that the shelter had been gassing young, sick or elderly cats and dogs in violation of state law, probably causing them a slower and more stressful death.

In an internal city memo released Friday, Managing Director of Health and Code Compliance Richard Briley said the decision was made in part because of concerns raised by residents over The News' findings. The new policy, to be fully implemented by Jan. 1, restricts the use of carbon monoxide gas only to animals that could pose a danger to staff.

Mayor Ron Jones said the City Council would discuss the new policy during a Monday work session. Previously, the council had declined to officially weigh in on the issue even as opponents of gassing confronted them to demand change.

"You can implement a management-driven change faster than a policy change," explained Jones, a former assistant city manager. "I do envision in the near future to be euthanizing by injection only."

But some aren't satisfied. They say Garland – the largest city in the state to use a gas chamber – should cease the practice altogether.

It's to give the appearance that they are doing something, when in fact they are trying to close the door," said Dr. John Pippin, a North Texas animal advocate. "This is a fake solution, and we're not falling for it."

Limits on gassing

The News obtained records showing that on at least one occasion dating to 2007, workers at Garland's Abe Tuggle Animal Shelter and Adoption Center improperly euthanized animals that were too young to be put down by carbon monoxide gas.

While gassing is not illegal, there are limits on its use. State law prohibits the method from being used on animals younger than 4 months, elderly or sick animals.

The shelter also may have violated city rules on how long animals must be kept before being euthanized. According to the records, some animals were killed within minutes of arriving at the shelter.

Briley's memo, dated Wednesday, stated that after reviewing those records, the staff confirmed that an animal younger than four months of age was euthanized by carbon monoxide. The attendant responsible for the euthanizing is no longer employed by the city.

"Management was not previously aware of the incident, or it would have been dealt with internally at that time," read the memo, which was sent to the council through City Manager Bill Dollar.

Using carbon monoxide on such animals is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Jason Chessher, deputy director of Garland's health department, said the shelter has disciplined employees "probably around a half dozen times" for incorrectly euthanizing animals in the past three years.

Transition to injection

Under the shelter's new policy, the staff will transition to using injection of sodium pentobarbital for the vast majority of animals that must be euthanized.

Carbon monoxide will remain, but it will be used only on vicious dogs, feral cats, wild animals, or other animals that present a significant danger to shelter staff, Briley's memo said.

"This compromise strikes a balance between ensuring continued rapid response times to citizen calls for service, maintaining the safety of shelter staff, and easing the minds of our citizens as to the operation of the Garland Animal Shelter," Briley wrote.

Despite the changes, some city officials emphasized that both methods of euthanizing are approved under American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines and state regulations.

Chessher had said gassing was more efficient in employee resources than lethal injection and, as a result, Garland Animal Services had quicker response times in the field. Briley's memo also discussed reallocation of resources that would maintain those response times during the transition.

Council member Rick Williams, who drew himself into the fray by defending the city to e-mail writers opposing the use of carbon monoxide, witnessed gassings at the shelter as part of his own research. On Friday, he expressed disappointment at the change.

"We live in a multimedia era where those who yell the loudest can often effect changes in policy regardless of the merits of their message," he said. "The new policy ... will be no more humane than the existing policy, but it will be less efficient and will likely result in staff suffering from 'compassion fatigue' – a deep physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion which can be accompanied by acute emotional pain."

'No more justification'

Gassing opponents, including Garland residents, have their own strong opinions.

Some said they are calling on opponents to attend Monday's council meeting to argue their side. Of immediate concern was who would get to determine what qualified an animal as "dangerous" or "feral."

"This is a situation where halfway is not good enough. There is no more justification for putting wildlife, difficult animals, and feral cats in the gas chamber than there was for putting our pets in there," Garland resident Garnell McMichael wrote in an e-mail. "The only solution is to get rid of the gas chamber."

Audrey Moses of Austin, who runs an anti-gassing Web site, said city leaders were only "trying to throw opponents a bone."

"Why aren't they ending the gassing today?" Moses wrote. "Does anyone want to see three more months of gassing animals?"

By RAY LESZCYNSKI

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