General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe gassing of shelter dogs and cats in Ohio
Last edited Sun Oct 20, 2013, 08:59 AM - Edit history (1)
I get a lot of email from a lot of sources in my inbox, most of them politically motivated. So sometimes I skim. This one grabbed me right away and stabbed me right in the heart.
Apparently in Medina county - and four other counties - gassing animals en masse is faster than an injection. So they pile 18-20 of them into a metal box - both cats and dogs together - and fill it with carbon monoxide. It takes anywhere from 1/2 hour to 45 minutes for them to die. First their internal organs collapse, and they suffer in agony until they're done. Worse, sometimes they survive it - and are gassed again. And sometimes, if they survive it, they're just thrown into the incinerator alive. Alive. Imagine the panic, imagine... if you can't imagine, the petition I'm about to post has a * GRAPHIC * illustration in case one is needed. There's also a photo of a puppy pawing at the glass, presumably just before somebody flips the switch.
Here's a news story about it, our WKYC channel 3 in Cleveland.
There are still 5 counties in Ohio that do this.
Rep. Jim Moran of VA (D) has proposed banning the method nationwide. It's HR 208, and was proposed in May. 'Course, the House Republicans have been otherwise pre-occupied, denying people healthcare, shutting down the government, fighting every agenda item the President has on his list and such, so this probably won't go anywhere until we get Madame Speaker reinstated. But it's there.
Oh yeah... and one person has died during the process. Unconscionable. Fucking unconscionable.
I love dogs, like cats, can't kill a mouse, I use live traps and transport them to a park. I realize that until people spay and neuter pets they don't intend to breed, or are committed to for life, there's going to be a stray animal population problem. But this is not the way. Surely this is not the way.
Please sign this petition; seventeen other states have made death by gas illegal, maybe an outcry will force these county officials to abandon this barbaric method. Maybe it'll even force the state to ban it entirely. Even if you hate dogs or hate cats - or are indifferent - surely as a civilized people we can't let this go on?
My apologies if I come on a little strong. I look down at my two girls curled up, sleeping peacefully on the couch, secure and safe, without a care in the world, and I wonder what would happen to them if they ever got lost and I couldn't get to them. The thought that THIS could be their fate both enrages me and scares the shit out of me.
The link to the petition (www.change.org).
Thank you.
Apologies again if I missed a similar post along the way.
Will also cross-post in the Pets forum.
UPDATE: thanks to those who signed the petition, there are over 10,000 signees now.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)Kicking and let me add this:
https://www.causes.com/stoppuppymills
This is a worthy cause too. I've seen some puppy mill rescue videos. Horrible and heart-breaking.
Why do we do this to the one species who loves us unconditionally? Because people sure don't.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)I am shocked to find out this still goes on.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)polly7
(20,582 posts)and yet it happens.
Signed it.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)And thank all of you who've signed it so far.
I know it's a slow time to post something like this, a Sat. nite. But, I'll try to keep it visible.
Thanks again.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)You know, Citizen Left, how much animals mean to me. I am angered and almost destroyed by this.
Too close to my Ohio County, and it must be brought to everyone's attention, though those graphics are a punch to the heart. Animals give us unconditional love and save us emotionally so many times in life.
We must treat them with dignity in life ...and death.
Thank you for bringing this here.
Everyone, please, sign this petition...up to 8900 and counting.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)If they must die, why not let them pass with a kind soft word in their ear? Let that be the last thing they hear, not the screaming and howling of other animals in terror. I don't see the harm in that. It's free.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)And we are at 10,500 signatures!
napkinz
(17,199 posts)nt
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)UPDATE - there are now 11,649 signatures.
IdaBriggs
(10,559 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)I can't imagine the scum that must work at such places.
Delphinus
(11,831 posts)wrong - I signed and want to kick.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)but it is well above 5 million (dogs). Canada keeps stats and they put down 5 million dogs in a year. Canada has roughly 1/10th the population of the USA so a similar stat for the USA would be 50,000,000 dogs a year.
Sad. Sickening and there needs to be a better long term relationship between communities and companion animals. Perhaps a huge license fee for un-neutered/spayed animals combined with subsidized spay and neutering services.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)And I like that idea - higher license fees if you don't neuter/spay (with an exception for responsible, reputable breeders) and, yeah, subsidized spay, or maybe even a free spay day once a year in all the major cities or something like that.
Something's got to give.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)nt
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)I'll try to keep it going for one more day.
There are now 12,227 signers.
Thank you all!
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)nt
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)I've passed the link on to a local rescue and she had already notified her followers on Facebook and her own site as well. Said the *swell* of support was getting stronger by the hour.
With all the political hate going around, one thing that can commonly bond people with even the most polar political beliefs, is the passionate love of our pets.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)You are awesome, my friend. Thank you, and thank you all!
G_j
(40,367 posts)thanks for sharing
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)...didn't I? I can't find it.
Daniel has his own website! He's the lucky dog that started this movement.
There are also numerous articles about him. He walked out of one of these nightmare gas chambers, apparently unscathed, surrounded by dead dogs and cats. He is a miracle.
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)For strays and ferals as well.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)My
My county, fortunately, has such a program and they are REALLY busy.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)nt
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)Thank you for posting the link to the petition.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)The count is up to 13,051 now.