End Gas Chambers for Shelter Pets in Louisiana

Help stop the gassing of shelter animals in the state of Louisiana

Some animal shelters in Louisiana still use the gas chamber to kill unwanted pets even though most people feel that it is much more inhumane than lethal injection.

You can help ban the use of gas chambers in Louisiana!

If there is one thing you do in the following days that can make a huge difference to the way shelter animals die in Louisiana, this is it. Until we can put a stop to the killing at lease let us join together and help make the killing more humane.

The dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens in the animal shelters deserve a kinder way to leave this earth. Please share this info with everyone you can. Even people without pets would like to see them suffer less. Please I am begging you to help.

– Joni Solis

I received the following email message on the gassing of pets in Louisiana:

A big Thank You to all who made calls, on behalf of the animals at Vermilion Parish Rabies Control. As most of you know, they really do not care about what is happening at this facility ~ their repeated comments were that they are abiding by the state law.

So this brought us to what we need to do next ~ WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE STATE LAW CONCERNING THE USE OF GAS CHAMBERS!

Call to Action: Send Messages to Louisiana State Officials on September 1st

I’m asking all of you, to once again, come together in unity and send messages to Louisiana State Officials that we need to ban the use of gas chambers, once and for all!! Please start thinking of what you’d like to express (please no profanity) and then wait until Tuesday, September 1st to send it. I think that if we all send it on the same day our outrage will be noticed! If any of you have friends in the media or press pass this on to them too! (post to your websites – facebook, twitter, myspace, petfinder site, etc…) We can’t continue “to not do anything”.

A sample letter is below, feel free to copy or compose one of your own ~ remember no profanity! Attached is also a comparison sheet between the cost of the gas chamber versus lethal injection. You might want attach that to your e-mails.

PDF file to download: co-ebi.pdf

THANK YOU!

Kiddo a shelter dog.

Sample letter to send: Please reword it for the most impact.

Dear State of Louisiana Officials,

There is an issue at hand that needs immediate attention, it is concerning the way in which we discard animals who are left homeless, for one reason or another, and end up in rabies control or animal shelters and killed by the use of a gas chamber.

Most of you know that animals bring so much to our lives~there are police dogs who serve, seeing eye dogs who give the blind their independence, therapy dogs who give hope to those who have none, and company to those who are homebound or elderly~and what do we do when they are homeless?

We toss them into a gas chamber, turn it on and then 20-30 minutes later we discard their bodies in a landfill. Have we lost sense of reality, and compassion, or are we so desensitized to what is happening?

A small rabies control facility in Vermilion parish has been killing animals in a chamber that is broken! They are having to use a screwdriver to keep the door shut, and the animals are having to endure two cycles to finally succumb to their death. IS THIS APPROPRIATE TO YOU? How many facilities are operating this way?

The animals can’t speak, so how do you know? I’m asking you to BAN THE GAS CHAMBER IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA! If animals have to die, shouldn’t we do it with some compassion, don’t they at least deserve this? The injectable euthanasia is a faster, more humane way to let them go. While we strive for no killings at all, this is a better alternative and the cost is the same.

Clearly we have a choice, we do not have to torture animals in gas chambers. Louisiana can make a positive move on behalf of the animals, Please BAN THE GAS CHAMBERS!

Please email or call as many Louisiana State Officials you can on Sept. 1, 2009. You can start here http://www.louisiana.gov

Please start with our Louisiana Governor, his info is on this site and there is a place where you can submit your concerns! http://www.gov.la.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor or his e-mail address Bobby.Jindal@la.gov

Also remember the Attorney General- James Caldwell at AdminInfo@ag.state.la.us ; Secretary of State – Jay Dardenne at admin@sos.louisiana.gov ; Page Cortez at cortez@legis.state.la.us ; David Vitter at http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm ; Mike Michot at lasen23@legis.state.la.us ; Charles Boustany at la07ima@mail.house.gov ; Deputy Legislative Director at nicholas.cahanin@la.gov

Here are all of the emails in a row for easy copy and paste into an email (but it is better to send them one at a time and address them to each person). Also note that it has been found to be more effective to print out and send a paper letter by mail or make a phone call. Why? Because these require more effort on your part and the officials know most people will not go to this trouble — so it has more impact.

Bobby.Jindal@la.gov; AdminInfo@ag.state.la.us;admin@sos.louisiana.gov; cortez@legis.state.la.us; lasen23@legis.state.la.us; la07ima@mail.house.gov; nicholas.cahanin@la.gov

THERE ARE SO MANY YOU CAN CONTACT ~ please don’t stop now, make a call, or two, and send emails to BAN THE GAS CHAMBER!!!!!! PLEASE wait until Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st ~ Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st ~ Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st

~Let’s come together again in memory of Kiddo & Friends! They suffered unnecessarily………….surely we can spend a little time emailing for them?

YouTube video – HOW ANIMAL SHELTERS KILL DOGS AND CATS

This YouTube video shows very graphic the killing of animals – dogs and cats. It’s very disturbing. But I watched it and it hurt a lot but it also makes me stronger in my believing that we HAVE to end those inhumane practices. If you are very sensitive – DO NOT watch it. It’s just horrible but I think the more we know what and how it happens the more we get angry and will go for a change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSv4wHYP60M&feature=related http://snipurl.com/rg4om

Another youtube video: “In Hope” is not as bad since it doesn’t “show” the killing at itself. Just sad! http://www.brightlion.com/1811.html http://snipurl.com/rg57o

YouTube – In Hope, An Animal Shelter Story

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Here is some info about other costs and which states have already banned the gas chamber:

Each state: Laws on Euthanasia http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/advocacy/ADV-laws-state-euthanasia.pdf

Find and count yourself; I have seen these #’s:
14 states mandate injection
13 ban gas
These still use gas: LA, OH, AL GA, NC, IL, KY, MS, OK, SC, TX, WV (all small population states except TX).
I got this (typed) info last year, so may change.
Virginia has banned gas chambers, (search line says also NY and CA, but I can’t find that)
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/gas-chambers/article/350

NM Gov Signs Bill Banning Gas Chambers for Euthanizing Animals http://www.cnjonline.com/news/gas-33208-animal-govenor.html

Related articles:
http://www.care2.com/news/category/animals/gas%20chambers

Ban the Gas Chambers “12 states have already banned gassing” http://kingstonprogressive.blogspot.com/2009/04/ban-gas-chambers.html

The cost analysis done by the Humane Society of the United States revealed:

• Cost per animal with Carbon Monoxide is $1.323 per animal
• Cost per year with Carbon Monoxide: $13,230
• Cost per animal with Sodium Pentobarbital is $1.27
• Cost per year with Sodium Pentobarbital is $12,700

The costs per year were based on euthanasia of 10,000 animals per year. All costs, including labor and supplies have been included. My source of information is the Humane Society of the United States Euthanasia Training Manual referenced from pages 127 – 129.

“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” – Albert Schweitzer

Here is my (Joni Solis) email message to vermilionppj@yahoo.com, vermilionanimals@yahoo.com, vermilionanimal@yahoo.com, tjprejean@vppj.org,
lbroussard@vppj.org, pgaspard@vppj.org, cboudreaux@vppj.org, gbutaud@vppj.org, rmenard@vppj.org, kmeaux@vppj.org, edomingues@vppj.org, wtouchet@vppj.org, rdarby@vppj.org, ngranger@vppj.org, dhebert@vppj.org, cberaud@vppj.org, ctheriot@vppj.org

Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Subject: Rabies Control in Vermilion Parish, LA. — just know I care…

Rabies Control in Vermilion Parish, LA. — just know I care…

Just thought I should contact you and let you know that I care about the homeless animals in Vermilion and hope that you will see that people love pets and wish that you would do better and help them more. And yes it is possible to save more pets.

Other animal controls have learned to improve and save more pet lives. It can be done with leaders that believe it and work at it. Please consider the wishes of the people of your parish and know that improvement is possible with the will to do so. May one day you find this will.

– Joni Solis

I received the following email message as a reply to my emailed message to vermilionanimal@yahoo.com…

From: vermilionanimal@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Subject: setting the record straight

To whom it may or may not concern,

Brief Statement:

I am Melissa, the Director of Vermilion Parish Rabies/Animal Control for those that are unaware. I have been at my job for 4 months now and in light of the circumstances I wanted to give this brief statement and then continue with regular business.

I do not want anything to overshadow what has been accomplished at Rabies/Animal Control. We all love animals and show every animal that comes in the respect he/she deserves. We are all compassionate, caring and have a tough job. Our job is not easy and when rumors/falsehoods are put out there the only thing I can say is come talk to me and get the right message. We do not have an In-House adoption program but we do have an agreement with Animal Aid for Vermilion Area. Animal Aid has every opportunity to pick over the dogs and cats, they deem adoptable and have them pulled to their cages, that I have designated for that purpose. I have held dogs for them but it is their responsibility to make sure to inform me if there are any to be moved.(NOT my staff) In the future I want all adoptable animals to be pulled in writing.

We are finishing the room that will be used for Lethal injection. Scott has his certificate and I just got back from training on Aug 3 and 4 for my certification. We need an exam table and supplies.

The sink that was approved of for dish washing will be in tomorrow and now we can be more efficient at our daily duties. The building had so many projects when I first started that I am trying to get everything done but it will be at my pace since I am the one making sure it gets done.

When Mr. Jeff Dorson came in, it was under false pretences but when I finally got the truth from him I still gave him a transparent tour. If it had not been for the tour I gave him he would not have had any pictures. I was unaware that is was out to get the Police and he knew that. I showed him the things I liked, didn’t like and the improvements that I along with the Police Jury’s permission would take care of. Please don’t let the actions of an individual such as this affect your perceptions of our facility.

Please post a link to this web page to your facebook, twitter, blogs, petfinder site, and any other place on the Internet and spread the news by emails and egroups too! Here is the short link to this page: End Gas Chambers for Shelter Pets in Louisiana http://wp.me/pc4ch-5B

Together we have power and can make changes!