Shelter May Be Forced To Quit Euthanizing Animals With Gas

Animals euthanized at the Gaston County Animal Shelter will no longer be put down with gas if county leaders follow through on discussions held Thursday evening.

Gaston County Commissioners said they want a resolution in place next month that would ban the use of gas to euthanize animals, beginning in January 2012.

Gaston County Animal Control officials projected that the shelter will take in 8,300 animals by the end of this year and euthanize half of them. Of those, 1,400 will be gassed, they said.

Dozens of residents pleaded with county commissioners at the Thursday night meeting to change the policy.

"It's inhumane to gas people and, bottom line, it's inhumane to gas animals," Suleika Bloom said.

Reggie Horton, the animal control director, said two-thirds of animals are put down by lethal injection, but said many animals pose a safety risk to staff members and would be dangerous to restrain for an injection.

"We not only deal with family pets that, for whatever reason, people are not willing to accept responsibility for, but we also accept the wild animals, the feral animals, the aggressive animals," Horton said.

Horton said all of the gassed animals are violent or diseased.

Still, many residents said gassing is often done because it's quick and efficient.

"Of course the animals are scared. Again, they do not need to be gassed. There needs to be an alternative," Bloom said.