Like most of the people in our state I care about the pets I have and the homeless pets that end up in our city’s animal control facilities. I would like to see as many of these pets find new homes and leave the shelters alive. But until programs are put into place like low cost and no cost spay and neuter, foster care, offsite adoptions, evening hours, and volunteer programs (to name a few), I also know that the continual flood of animals entering the shelters means that animals will have to be killed.
But if animals are to be killed it should be in the most humane way — euthanasia by injection of sodium pentobarbital, or an alternate oral version of the drug correctly carried out. The use of gas in gas chambers to kill shelter animals needs to end now.
Governments are put into place to be of service to the people and if you did a poll you would find that most people would prefer that the animal control facilities do a much better job of rehoming homeless pets and if they must die then they wish that their deaths be as painless and free of stress as possible.
As a tax payer I do NOT want my tax money spent for needless animal suffering through the use of gas chambers when there is a more humane way. Since lethal injection is the method used in all veterinarians’ offices to end a pet’s life, and is recommended by all national humane organizations in the America as the most humane, least stressful, safest, and most cost effective it should be the only allowable method to kill pets in our state’s animal control system.
As public servants it is the duty of government officials to strongly consider the will of the public in all matters. Note that across America the outcry to do away with the gassing of shelter pets is growing ever louder. I am adding my voice to theirs and ask that you hear me.
I chose to be the voice of the voiceless and beg that the use of gas chambers be outlawed for the state of Louisiana.
“In this country tax-payers spend $1 billion dollars annually to pick up, house, and euthanize homeless animals. If only 5% of that total were allocated to spay/neuter programs, we could open 250 public, low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country and sterilize more than $4 million animals each year.” – ryannewmanfoundation.org/news
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” – Albert Schweitzer
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”.
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!
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.
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?
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
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
My report on HSUS’s Public Meeting about TPAC on November 18th 2008
No justice yet for be 172-184 animals killed on August 4, 2008
Last night’s HSUS/TPAC meeting was with three members of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), no one from TPAC or the parish’s leaders attended. Which is what the HSUS evaluators said that they asked for. I personally would have liked the new director, Charles “Chip” Fitz, of TPAC to have been there to answer questions and give us an idea of this plans for improving TPAC and preventing any recurrence of the mass killing of August 4th.
The meeting started off with someone questioning why such a short notice was giving for a public meeting. Someone else stated that if the notice had been less last minute that many more people would have been able to make arrangements to attend. I didn’t hear a good reason for the short notice given.
I received an email about the meeting on the evening of Saturday November 15 and did an Internet search for the notice and found nothing. On November 17th I found this news online by the Advocate – Humane Society seeks comments; Published: Nov 16, 2008. I have as yet to find any notice of the meeting online by the Hammond Star.
HSUS requested input from the public attending about their experience when dealing with TPAC. They received quite an earful from several people about TPAC’s shortcomings and accounts of their ineffectiveness at handling animal abuse complaints. When HSUS asked for a time frame of when people experienced these troubles several people spoke up saying from the very beginning and even before TPAC opened.
At times HSUS which many people hoped would be the the knight riding in on a white horse felt more like the trojan horse echoing more of the same that we heard from the parish leaders — excuses for animal control and placing the blame on parish residence. I heard too many words like – be patient, wait and see, give them time, implementation takes time, needs to be educated, and gradual.
For those of you that may had hoped that HSUS meant justice for the 172-184 animals killed on August 4 th, last night’s meeting only showed that justice will have to come from another avenue.
From what I gathered at the meeting HSUS (the nation’s largest animal protection organization) has no intention (and I guess never has) and no power to investigate or correct any past misdoing or possible crimes committed by TPAC. They stated that they are only interested at looking at practices and procedures in place right now and to give recommendations on best practices for animal control.
HSUS has no power to mandate that their recommendations be put in place or followed. They have no power even to demand that their report be made public, they can only request that the parish do so. They did state that the public has the legal right to request the report as a public record.
Note that the parish has already broken this law when they would not give us some of the public records we requested after August 4th. So forgave us if we have doubts about receiving this public record. And HSUS Guidelines For Animal Shelter Policies have been posted online for quite a while now. Could it be that the parish leaders have been hiring people (from the get go) to run the animal shelter that cannot read? And it is not like there hasn’t been serious complaints concerning TPAC for years or calls from the public for reform. Does anyone remember The Animal Control Advisory Board? Will this upcoming HSUS report end up stored on the same shelf the NACA report from 2000 with minimum implementation of the recommendations? Yet, we are told to have patience and wait.
HSUS said that their report would be forthcoming within 60 to 90 days (more waiting) and that they would request that the parish make it public within two weeks of receiving it. They also stated that the implementation of the recommended changes would require time and that some of the changes would have to be put into place gradually.
What I learned…
Investigate and evaluate are two different things altogether, but it seems even the media did not note this distinction including HSUS’s own press release…
WDSU: Tangi Council OKs Humane Society Investigation; August 12, 2008 AMITE, La. — The Tangipahoa Parish Council has unanimously voted to accept an offer from the Humane Society of the United States to evaluate its animal control operations.
The HSUS Responds to Mass Euthanasia at Louisiana Shelter; August 8, 2008 …The Humane Society of the United States has offered to assist Parish officials with their investigation and resolution of the situation…. http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hsus_responds_to_louisiana_shelter_euthanasia_080808.html or http://snipurl.com/3dhtx
Where now? Wait and wait some more?
Do I believe that this parish has the ability to reduce the numbers of unwanted pets, therefore the numbers of animals going into the shelter, and killed in the shelter — yes, BUT only if the leaders embrace the programs that have proven records of working effectively at reducing shelter intake and kill numbers.
Since Hammond Star posted, Experienced leader for animal control I do hope that Chip Fitz is up to a hard job of running TPAC and proves them right. But for so many soured on the past efforts of TPAC directors (is it now up to the number five?) it will take more than some nice sounding words and halfhearted attempts at improving TPAC to convince them.
Do I believed that Chip has the ability to turn around TPAC and save more animal lives? Why yes, we are all capable of unbelievable accomplishments and it only takes one leader (not a parish puppet) with desire and perseverance to create positive change of incredible magnitude. And sorry, HSUS, but this doesn’t have to take an extended time frame.
Will Chip turn animal control around? Sorry Chip, but I have seriously doubts that much positive change will happen, but please prove me wrong – PLEASE – the animals lives depend on it.
The people of this parish must consistently impressed upon its leaders their firm demand for progressive and compassionate animal control. And the most effective animal control is based on prevention.
HSUS info I found online (the good and the bad)…
7 Things You Didn’t Know About HSUS http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/article/184 or http://snipurl.com/5xsgh (don’t know if it is all true or not or who posted it, but makes you want to learn more about The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] doesn’t?)
Whatever you are looking for is just a click away – HSUS Resource Library includes Animal Sheltering magazine articles, HSUS publications, training opportunities, policies, guidelines, advice, and other resources to help you in your work on behalf of animals. http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/ or http://snipurl.com/5yzp8
Good Job HSUS! – http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/10/good-job-hsus.html
We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For…when public outcry erupted over a decision by a Louisiana HSUS-partner shelter to needlessly kill virtually every animal in its facility, HSUS did not condemn the action or come to the defense of activists working to end such practices; Pacelle and HSUS defended the shelter, arguing that the killing was legitimate and proper… http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/11/we-are-ones-we-have-been-waiting-for.html or http://snipurl.com/5zc9m
UPDATE: Oops, I forgot to put my name, Joni Solis, as the person writing this article. I am a volunteer of Tangi Adopt A Rescue and this is article is from my point of view.
Here are the news reports I found online about this HSUS/TPAC meeting…
One before the meeting…
Humane Society seeks comments; By JO-ANNA K. BURNETT;Special to The Advocate;Published: Nov 16, 2008 – UPDATED: 12:05 a.m. ; http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/suburban/34529644.html or http://snipurl.com/5nrdm
And two after the meeting…
Humane Society reports Tangipahoa president to meet team;By JACQUELINE COCHRAN;Special to The Advocate;Published: Nov 20, 2008 – Page: 4B – UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.; http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/34790949.html or http://snipurl.com/6278x
Animal control ideas shared, By Don Ellzey; Thursday, November 20, 2008 8:53 AM CST; http://hammondstar.com/articles/2008/11/20/community/health/9457.txt or http://snipurl.com/6dv7m
If you attended the HSUS/TPAC meeting please leave a comment below with are thoughts.
2TheAdvocate – Baton Rouge,LA,USA By DEBRA LEMOINE
HAMMOND — A former chief deputy for the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office will become the new director for the parish government’s animal … …Fitz will be paid $56,000 a year, which is more than previous directors, McKneely said… http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/30668674.html or http://snipurl.com/47kmg
Fitz gets animal control jobBy Sylvia Schon; Thursday, October 9, 2008 9:50 AM CDT
AMITE — Charles “Chip” Fitz is the new director of Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control.
Parish President Gordon Burgess announced his hiring Wednesday. …”I want to work with them (animal rescuers) and do everything we can while keeping in mind it’s animal control,” Fitz said, emphasizing the last word… http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2008/10/09/community/community_news/0160.txt or http://snipurl.com/48sn8
Experienced leader for animal control; Friday, October 10, 2008 10:40 AM CDT; Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess was true to his word when he said the parish had an opportunity to hire an excellent director of animal control. http://hammondstar.com/articles/2008/10/10/opinion/editorials/9253.txt or http://snipurl.com/499z0
Stop the killing - Spay and Neuter
The Good Old Boys – hits again!
What can you expect in Louisiana where it seems most parish leaders treat their people nearly as bad as they treat the animals at the local dog pounds. Is CORRUPTION to be the name of the game forever?
$56 Thousand dollars a year to kill animals! If the parish spent that amount of money a year on spay and neuter they wouldn’t have any animals to kill in short order! Is wasting tax payers money part of the game too?
When will the people of this parish demand better of their parish leaders? Or vote in better leaders? Is mass animal killings OK with you?
Fix them or Kill Them – Your choice
Show you care - Spay or Neuter your pet!
When you have a leaky pipe do you just keep buying bigger mops and buckets? Or do you call in a good plumper to get at the cause of your troubles?
Think about it – parish wide free or low cost spay and neuter is part of the long term solution and is proven to save money on animal control. Or is spending more and more money on killing animals in a bigger and better kill shelter what you really want for your parish?
Make the no-kill choice. Learn more about No-Kill animal control
A Louisiana shelter, Tangipahoa Parish Animal Shelter, unnecessarily slaughtered almost every animal in its facility according to media reports. More than 170 dogs and cats lay dead, the victims of a mass killing after animals started getting sick because of the shelter’s own mismanagement. A former shelter employee says she’ll never forget the image: “I did walk back there at one point and they were all piled on top of each other, just lying there dead.”
While there will always be individual cases of disease in a shelter, epidemics or spread of such diseases is almost always a result of sloppy handling and poor cleaning practices. Not surprisingly, former staff “blame management.” Read the rest of the article!
The Humane Society of Louisiana is now launching an investigation of the Tangipahoa Animal Shelter after parish leaders ordered every animal in the shelter put to sleep earlier this week.
They also plan to take the investigation statewide.
NEW ORLEANS (WWL) – More than 170 dogs and cats were put to sleep practically overnight at a Louisiana animal shelter. Former shelter employees say it should not have happened.
By DEBRA LEMOINE Advocate Florida parishes bureau Published: Aug 7, 2008 – Page: 1B – UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.
“It was devastating,” Pittman said Wednesday evening. “There were no animals anywhere.”
…Pittman is not alone in her assessment. The former director, Jay Callais, and three other employees also said Wednesday evening that they, too, don’t think all of the animals needed to be killed…
Animal Control being scrubbed By Sylvia Schon Wednesday, August 6, 2008 9:26 AM CDT
Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control may be closed another five days, Parish President Gordon Burgess said. Employees are decontaminating the facility and experts are trying to identify the disease outbreak that led to the euthanization of all the animal…
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
