Opinion : Gunshot not humane for shelter animals - Frontiersman

Gunshot not humane for shelter animals


Published on Saturday, February 6, 2010 8:16 PM AKST

To the editor:

The American Humane Association has recently been contacted by several concerned Alaskans regarding the recent killing by gunshot of eight animals at the Houston Animal Protection and Safety Shelter. Gunshot is an inhumane and unacceptable method of euthanizing shelter animals. Euthanasia by injection (EBI) is the only humane method of euthanizing these animals, and we urge the city of Houston to adopt EBI as its sole method of euthanasia going forward. American Humane provides consultation and certification training in EBI, and we gladly offer our assistance to the city of Houston to help implement this change.

We also urge the city of Houston to reach out to other local animal sheltering organizations for assistance in placing animals before the decision is made to euthanize them. Animal sheltering agencies should make every effort to place adoptable animals into loving homes. We certainly recognize that many of the towns in Alaska are separated from each other by large distances, but Houston’s close proximity to Anchorage makes the transfer of animals to other organizations a viable alternative to euthanasia in many cases.

Debrah Schnackenberg

Vice President, Animal Protection Division

American Humane Association

 

 

Copyright © 2010 Frontiersman

Comments

7 comment(s)

    And the experts say. wrote on Feb 12, 2010 11:43 PM:

    " I disagree. Refering to the "AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia" Page 13 and 14 defines a gunshot to the head as humane. "

    Mad Dog wrote on Feb 8, 2010 12:37 PM:

    " Euthanasia is the only humane method? Please Debrah, you obviously never spent time on a farm. Hope you don't eat meat, or you're an absolute hypocrite. "

    Snap wrote on Feb 8, 2010 9:58 AM:

    " Hey Digusted, I agree with Kevin. In your words and I quote a person " might not have the resources to keep it warm, take it to classes or otherwise care for it as we have determine is in everyone's best interest". Funny, aren't these the very reasons women have abortions? Shouldn't even a human life be entitled to the same value you place on a dog? No reasonable persons want to see a dog mistreated let alone put down with a gun or any other means. Come back with your argument when you have one. "

    Disgusted wrote on Feb 8, 2010 8:28 AM:

    " The issue of abortion vs. humane euthanasia of shelter animals is beyond rediculous (sic). The point is that it is better to humanely kill something than to force it to live a life where it doesn't have enough to eat or people to care for it. Where people might not have the resources to keep it warm, take it to classes or otherwise care for it as we have determine is in everyone's best interest. Kevin, come back with your argument when you have found homes for all of the abused, neglected, orphaned Alaska Children. "

    Kevin wrote on Feb 7, 2010 2:48 PM:

    " How rediculous. When you people start putting as much or more value on human life, speaking specifically about abortion, that you put on some mangy dog that ran head first into a bullet, you will have mine and a lot more peoples attention. The problem is that most people who would think that putting a dog down under ANY circumstances is horrible, are the same misguided people who, think abortion is just fine, hence the greatest hypocrisy in the history of this country. Value human life as much as you do a dogs. Till then, get a life. "

    alaskaveritas wrote on Feb 7, 2010 1:52 PM:

    " You don't know what you are talking about. Sgt. Seidl does not like having to shoot animals. Do you expect him to break down and cry on TV in order to prove that he is mentally stable? That is ludicrous. I know him personally and I know that he hates to do what he had to do. How can you assess his mental ability to perform his duties as a police officer based upon your 2 minute reveiw of him on a video? He answered questions and was courteous. Does that make him unfit for duty? "

    starnorth wrote on Feb 6, 2010 11:19 PM:

    " This is a very sick person that can shoot caged animals and then talk about it on television with no remorse. I thought that all police officers had to under go test to tell if they have mental stability. "

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