Courtey photo/KayLynn Roberts-McMurray
The gas box at the animal shelter.
Euthanasia happens and it’s something no one ever wants to talk about. It is a complex ethical matter, and while in some situations it’s unavoidable.
A sick or injured animal, vicious animal or the unfortunate demise the shelter being full, the decision to put an animal down is not an easy one and it is the last thing an animal control officer wants to do.
But, when the option for lethal injection (EBI) versus the gas chamber is available, why is the gas chamber still being utilized here in Ely? Why is it still being used when PETA offered to pay for lethal injection several months ago?
On Nov. 3, The Ely Times wrote about the City of Ely using the gas chamber for animal euthanasia. The story reached national attention, and PETA contacted Robert Switzer, city administrator, three days later via an email. Jennifer Brown, Animal Sheltering Adviser with the Cruelty Investigations Department with PETA, offered to provide financial assistance for euthanasia by lethal injection from a licensed veterinarian here in Ely until the city could get their animal control officer certified as a euthanasia technician.
Brown reached out to the city three times in November by emails. On Nov. 9, Switzer responded that he had received Brown’s email. When Brown emailed Switzer on Nov. 16, Switzer replied to Brown explaining that this item would be placed on the Dec. 14 city council meeting as an agenda item.
The agenda item for the Dec. 14 meeting was put on the Ely City Council agenda by Mayor Melody VanCamp to accept PETA’s offer to help fund euthanasia by intravenous injection with a local veterinarian.
As the meeting began, VanCamp asked that this item be removed stating “I want to do more work on that.”
On Jan. 16, Brown sent another email to Switzer and VanCamp this time, wanting to follow up on a conversation with the mayor regarding discontinuing use of the homemade “gas chamber.”
In the email, Brown asked that Switzer and VanCamp confirm that the unit would no longer be used to put animals to death. Brown stressed that the box is built from wood, not commercially manufactured and not only is it inhumane to the animals, it presents a serious safety risk to staff.
Brown asked for their assurance that the chamber is dismantled. The email also indicates that a local vet agreed to provide euthanasia by injection when needed at an estimated cost of $25 and that PETA agreed to pay this cost until the city transitioned into budgeting euthanasia training for staff.
On Feb. 6, Brown sent another email to Switzer and VanCamp thanking them for taking steps to improve the practices at the Ely-White Pine County Animal Shelter.
They were following up on their Jan. 31 phone conversation with VanCamp.
Brown said, “Mr. Switzer I’ve left two messages for you—Mayor VanCamp asked me to follow up with you to discuss payment arrangements so PETA can assist with the cost of needed euthanasia. I’m sorry we’ve yet to connect.”
Brown wrote, “We’re relieved by Mayor VanCamp’s assurance that the gassing box is no longer being used, and that you’ve made arrangements with Dr. Sanders for his office to perform euthanasia-by-injection when needed. We understand how busy you are, but we’re concerned that we’ve yet to receive a written response to the last several emails I’ve sent. May we please have your written assurance confirming these important policy changes?”
The emails from November to February were also cc’d to City Attorney Chuck Odgers, Treasurer, Janette Trask and Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Lee.
Now it is March, the Animal Control officer has been instructed not to communicate with the media, but The Ely Times received a report from an unnamed source that an injured feline was euthanized in the gas chamber within the last two weeks.
The newspaper contacted councilman Tony DeFelice, who is liaison for animal control. He confirmed that an injured cat was indeed euthanized in the gas chamber.
It is uncertain as to why the city chose to use the gas chamber when PETA in several different emails confirmed their desire to help. It seemed like the shelter had been taking a turn with reports from December through February showing a zero report of euthanasia for any cats or dogs up until now.
On Feb. 17, an email from Brenda Alexander was read into the city council meetings record. Her letter asked questions specifically to the mayor and the council of where the offer from PETA regarding help in funding lethal injection stood? And, questioned why the city hadn’t sent the animal control officer to training for certification in euthanasia?
No response from the city was sent to Mrs. Alexander.
PETA gave The Ely Times the following statement: “Months have passed since PETA offered to assist Ely officials to ensure that a local veterinary hospital provides euthanasia by injection (EBI) to animals in the custody of the Ely Animal Shelter when they require a merciful end. We have clarified our offer in writing to city leaders and followed up numerous times urging them to formalize the agreement with the veterinary hospital and set up a billing system with PETA.”
According to PETA, on Jan. 31, during a telephone conversation with VanCamp, she told PETA that the city was making efforts to obtain the training and licenses necessary for shelter workers to provide EBI, the lethal injection form of euthanasia.
PETA coordinated with a local veterinarian to form an agreement that included a reduced rate of euthanasia for shelter animals.
A photograph of the gas chamber was sent to PETA and they commented, “because the homemade wooden gassing box that is used to kill animals at the facility fails to meet the American Veterinary Medical Associations minimum standards to be considered a conditionally acceptable method of euthanasia, we believe its use would cause slow and agonizing deaths, in violation of Nevada state law. PETA urges the city to end its use of the box and to destroy it without delay.”
PETA explained death by CO poisoning can be slow and terrifying. During the process, which can take up to 30 minutes, panicked animals may gasp for breath, try to claw their way out of the chamber, and when more than one is forced into the box- attack each other. Some animals may be gassed repeatedly before they die, while others have been found alive in freezers and stumbling around landfills after being thought dead.
Old, young, injured and sick animals are particularly susceptible to gas-related trauma and stress and can survive, damaged and traumatized, repeated gassing attempts.
PETA stated, “We are willing and eager to work with Ely city leaders to ensure that homeless and unwanted animals, often found ill, injured, and near death, who require the mercy of euthanasia receive the final dignity of a peaceful passing.”
Thank you, PETA, for trying to support merciful release for ill, injured, and near death animals. It makes me sick that people still use cruel euthanasia methods like gas chambers when there are kinder options out there.
No animal deserves to be gassed to death–a slow and terrifying way to die. The very least that animals deserve if they are suffering beyond rehabilitation or if no good homes exist is a painless, peaceful end. I hope the shelter makes this switch before more animals suffer.
Please accept PETA’s assistance. Injection is much more humane.
I am a big supporter of humane euthanasia – nobody should have to suffer more just because people are afraid to face reality. But it needs to be HUMANE! There are ways to do this kindly and ways to be cruel. Let’s choose the kind options!!!
All of our loved ones deserve a dignified passing.
they’re putting workers at risk too, what? Doesn’t make sense why they wouldn’t accept it. everyone wins.
It’s hard to understand why the city wouldn’t leap at the opportunity to end unnecessary suffering at no cost to them. I hope they get it together soon!
This is such an inhumane method of performing euthanasia. I wish this shelter would move the swifter way of lethal injection.
This whole situation is totally unnecessary and unacceptable! I would have expected the citizens of Ely to have put some serious pressure on the Mayor and the City Council before now. This is so easily solved and yet no one will do it. If this simple problem is not being taken care of, what kind of attention do the big ones get? There seems to be little interest in how the citizens of Ely feel. Not taking care of this win, win situation is pure laziness and disregard for doing the right thing. It is time for action.
“PETA shelter was a ‘slaughterhouse,’ group claims…”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/08/consumer-group-blasts-peta-for-euthanizing-high-rate-animals-at-its-shelter.html
That group is a front group for the meat industry, which has long tried to smear PETA and other animal protection groups in an attempt to distract from the real issues. See http://www.petakillsanimalsscam.com/. Unlike the industries this group represents–which kill animals painfully, so they can make money by selling their flesh–PETA is a shelter of last resort for animals who need euthanasia to end their suffering (many of whom have been rejected by other facilities because euthanizing them would make their “numbers” look bad). Please watch this short video to see some of the animals PETA has helped in its community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG0sh6rpC14.
That group is a front group for the meat industry, which has long tried to smear PETA and other animal protection groups in an attempt to distract from the real issues. Unlike the industries this group represents–which kill animals painfully, so they can make money by selling their flesh–PETA is a shelter of last resort for animals who need euthanasia to end their suffering (many of whom have been rejected by other facilities because euthanizing them would make their “numbers” look bad).
Nonsense. PETA kills HEALTHY cats and dogs, puppies and kittens. Members of the group even stole a childs dog off a porch, and killed it. PETA = slaughterhouse.
http://www.petakillsanimals.com has the proof of what I wrote.
Anyone who alleges PETA euthanizes adoptable animals is making a baseless claim, and here’s why: the state of Virginia simply doesn’t collect data regarding shelter animal adoptability. What can be determined by looking at the data is that nearly all of the animals PETA euthanizes are owned animals and that their guardians sign a document of informed consent stating their animals may be immediately euthanized. Which is supportive of PETA’s statements that their shelter operates for the primary purpose of providing humane euthanasia to suffering and unadoptable community animals.
Please sign and share this petition to the Ely City Council to help end this barbaric practice once and for all! https://www.change.org/p/city-council-of-ely-nevada-end-gas-chamber-animal-euthanasia-in-ely-nevada
“State Inspector likens PETA’s “Shelter” to a “Euthanasia Clinic”
“Recent documents uncovered by PETAKillsAnimals.com indicate that the Commonwealth of Virginia was so shocked by the number of animals PETA kills each year that the state inspector attempted to revoke PETA’s license to operate a shelter….
In 2010, a Virginia resident called PETA to ask if it operated an animal shelter. PETA said no. Apparently perplexed, she sent PETA’s response to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the government agency responsible for overseeing shelters and animal welfare matters in the state. Responding to the complaint, Dr. Daniel Kovich, an investigator with the VDACS, conducted an inspection of PETA’s animal shelter at its Virginia headquarters in July 2010. Dr. Kovich determined “the facility does not contain sufficient animal enclosures to routinely house the number of animals annually reported as taken into custody.”
https://www.petakillsanimals.com/proof-peta-kills/
Many of the animals PETA takes in have been brought to them by desperate people who request euthanasia for their elderly, dying, suffering cat or dog because they can’t afford this service at a veterinarian’s office. PETA operates a shelter of last resort for animals who need euthanasia to end their suffering (many of whom have been rejected by other facilities). This includes dogs who are aggressive and unadoptable because they have been kept chained their entire lives; feral cats dying of contagious diseases; animals who are wracked with cancer; elderly animals who have no quality of life; and the list goes on.
So, when was the last time anybody launched an adoption event?
No, seriously?
Adoption drives, spay and neuter/rescue centers should open and help control pet populations rather than euthanasia, which also costs money. So use that money to save animals. Let’s be honest, saving money is generally what it’s all about, isn’t it? Finding ways to give these poor animals a home, or create rescue centers where they can live out their lives is what we must concentrate on – not killing!!!
Of course Ely hasn’t made any real moves towards this issue. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Nevada desert, but this is the same Mayor and City Council who are allowing this wonderful city to fall into further disrepair, and their residents just have to deal with it. Not allowing money-making, job-giving businesses to open because they “don’t reflect Ely”, forcing all of the locals to drive literal hours through the desert to get to stores and services that are considered commonplace and necessary elsewhere. Allowing the local hospital to gouge every dollar they can out of everyone, while offering far less than sub-par medical services and often misdiagnosing medical issues. Declining the offer from the local dispensary to donate a percentage of their profits to the local school district, even though it could absolutely benefit from the donations. Denying applications for new businesses that would benefit the community by creating jobs for its locals, simply because the new businesses would create competition for the ones that the Mayor and City Council have personal ties to. They claim to support small privately owned local businesses, but everywhere you look there are empty shop fronts and derelict buildings and homes. They don’t offer support, they just collect their money and turn up their noses while their residents suffer at their hand. The people who run Ely don’t have any compassion for their good residents, let alone the pets of the locals.
Apparently OSHA needs to be contacted since the use of the box would put workers at risk. Perhaps that’s the way to get their attention. It seems the worker likes the use of the box, and that’s a scary thought, you would think it would be in a workers mind set to do what is best for the animal, not to torture it. Where is his boss? Can’t he follow a simple request that would put them all at risk? Something very fishy is going on here. Perhaps the local news can shed some light.
Where I can find Petitions to opposite this cruelty ? I haven’t seen any. Please send me.
why can’t we treat animals with respect. they deserve basic rights and doing this isn’t giving them any rights at all. they can’t speak so we have to do it for them everyone speak up as loudly as you can, right now!
People are getting better when it comes to animals well being, but some still believe in old styles of gassing, beating, leaving them outside, etc. and those are the people we have to go after with severe punishments and changes done right away. Humans are still the worst animals on earth. Lot.s of them. Thank you, sincerely Jackie R.
We live here in WPCO and it is all of our responsibility to ensure the animals are treated with the utmost respect, especially at death. Please continue to write/call your concerns to the City as well as the County officials and insist they do the right thing; get rid of “the box” and replace that procedure with the injection method of euthanasia. That much is their job! I am very grateful to all of the people who initiated this effort, to The Ely Times and to PETA for their offer Please don’t let this issue “die”.Please, please, Spay and Neuter your animals.
“…rescue groups, individuals, and veterinarians have come forward stating that the animals they gave PETA were healthy and adoptable and PETA insiders have admitted as much, one former intern reporting that he quit in disgust after witnessing perfectly healthy puppies and kittens in the kill room… PETA itself admits it does not believe in “right to life for animals…”
http://www.whypetaeuthanizes.org/
Wheeler are you saying that animals in Ely should be cruelly killed by gas poisoning because other shelters euthanize animals? You’re just attacking another shelter (PETA’s) because you saw an opportunity to attack, and spreading propaganda put out by animal industries that profit from abusing animals. That doesn’t help end gassing in Ely. Stop.
Why are humans so cruel to animals we need to understand that all animals need humane and non painfull ways to end there lives just like our lives they are gods best creation its our job on this planet and any were we are at to take care of them even in there last moments humans need to change and become better every day of our lives its a great feeling when we make that change. give me a life with animals instead of with bad humans. god bless us all
Generally speaking, for some, PETA seems to be an automatic go-to with assumed immediate qualifications as animal activists and humanitarians (apparently ready and waiting to kill animals). Ignoring contrary information doubles down on ignorance. Rescue groups, individuals, veterinarians, and public officials are not ‘animal industries’. And no, I am not anti-PETA or pro ‘animal industries’. What I am is pro-adoption, pro-neutering in most cases, and PETA-suspicious given a variety of stories. Has anyone asked why PETA is eager in donating money and getting so involved? If you want to end gassing in Ely, then stop gassing the animals in Ely and come up with a more humane solution. That solution probably doesn’t have to involve PETA. And if it is just about money (and a failure to make effective adoption efforts in the short term or necessary spaying/neutering efforts in the long run) then frankly bullets are both cheaper and more humane. But how about we rise to the challenge of figuring out how to clean up our own mess and keep it clean (including the funding issue), as opposed to continuing to make the mess (animals being poorly managed)? Do a better job at the front end, less expensive and painful at the back end.
Unfortunately, this requires the sort of broader thinking that some may not be up to the challenge of. And THAT is what I am advocating for: better and broader ‘roll up your sleeves and figure it out’ thinking. This is simply one more opportunity for that approach – an approach that Ely used to be good at, once upon a time. And yet these days, proud Ely doesn’t even seem capable of managing stray animals. And that is what you are admitting if you invite in PETA for even a quick fix.
In the meantime, still wondering where that adoption page is…
Part of humane treatment of animals is responsible pet ownership. Train, spay, and neuter. If you are not going to commit your time and resources to making sure your pet remains with you for its’ lifetime, don’t get one. A feral spay / neuter program here would be amazing. I wonder if there is a grant or something that might cover the cost of that.
Couldn’t agree more while wondering how many of those people crying about the sad and inhumane treatment of animals in shelters (and leaning into PETA) actually allow their pets to roam out of the house (and contribute to the problem), and refuse to spay or neuter on top of that.
Euthanasia is a City problem, for sure. However, there is a bigger problem that should be addressed in conjunction with euthanasia. That problem is stray cats. Some neighborhoods are over run with them. When I first moved here, I had 35 strays coming into my yard. All of them were captured, fixed, and adopted through the help of the Zoo. After 5 years, we put 75 cats into homes from my neighborhood. Some were feral and had to be tamed. For four years now, the two square block area I handle has been “stray free.” Only recently, a resident moved out leaving 8 cats behind. Leslie Sears and Brenda from the Zoo stepped in to help capture them and get them fixed. Now my point. The City cannot be responsible for the irresponsible public yet the City bears the brunt of the problem when it comes to euthanizing all of these animals. I can only imagine the Animal Control Officer is overwhelmed from the shear numbers. If we can bring a two square block area under control, it can be done citywide. Spay, neuter, release has been successful in many cities, including Las Vegas. It’s the most humane way to reduce the cat population. There are programs that can be instituted that would help the city and the public come together to reach a common goal – reducing the number of strays before they reach the Pound. The following is excerpted from a Florida study:
Start with one young breeding pair. Assume they will have two litters of kittens a year, that 2.8 kittens in the litter will survive, and the cats will breed for 10 years. Factor in all the cats born into the formula and this is how overpopulation occurs:
Year 1: 12
Year 2: 66
Year 3: 382
Year 4: 2,201
Year 5: 12,680
Year 6: 73,041
Year 7: 420,715
Year 8: 2,423,316
Year 9: 13,968,290
Year 10: 80,399,780
You can crunch the numbers any way you want using the 75 cats we put into homes. The numbers are beyond staggering. Brenda, myself, and Leslie Sears have been called “Kooks” for saving these animals by at least one individual associated with City politics. That attitude needs to change.
If they are not going to follow through using Lethal injection over the gas box, honestly a bullet to the head would be the best and most humane way. If I was a dog and going to be put in that “box from hell”, I would rather take the bullet to the head. It would be quick and honestly take less time. Think of the money Ely would save from not having to pay a hourly employee from the Vet to make sure the animal or animals are dead in the make shift gas chamber.
I don’t mean to come off cruel, but it would save WP County a ton of money, reduce the chance of the employees in the facility getting extremely sick or possible death from the death chamber leaking.
Try to think about the scenario of being a animal scheduled to be put down and not understand the box they are putting me in is not a kennel, but the last thing I will ever see alive. Than think it could take 5-45 minutes to die by not being able to breathe. Than there is option B, 1 bullet to the head. Neither are humane in my views, but if I had to choose one, I would go with option B since it will be quick and over with. I would also know, there isn’t a chance I would survive the gunshot, unlike what I read in the article about some dogs that they thought were gassed/dead but end up still being alive.
This is a very tough topic to talk or think about, especially in today’s “Politically Correct” world but euthanizing any animal in the box shown in this article is sickening. WP county officials need to get there priorities straight and stop worrying about things that pretty much benefit the WP Board members only. White Pine County/The State of Nevada has a huge black eye on it since there only Prison who can perform executions has a brand new state of the art Lethal Injection death chamber that cost $500,000+ to build and it just sits because the person who will be executed might experience a little pain, because the State is to afraid of getting sued for a botched execution. But if you have a inmate that is scheduled to be executed and understands the possible complications that can happen and agrees to proceed if the judge deems the inmate is competent to proceed with the execution why hold it up? There is probably a legal document the inmate can sign clearing the State of responsibility since the new 3 drug combo has not been used in the State of Nevada. to see if it works like the drugs manufacture says it will. If anything have the death row inmate sign a waiver by not holding the State responsible if there were to be a complication with the execution. This waiver would also clear the state of being sued by the inmates family.
Its simple math people. It would be cheaper to have a veterinarian who is allowed to put animals down, come from Northern or Southern Nevada until WP gets someone who can perform the animal euthanizing by lethal injection until someone from WP County is trained. The death box in the article here is not the answer. So you all know, I am not against the death penalty for humans or putting animals down from pain and suffering.
It’s disgusting and pathetic that the Mayor or lack of, is allowing this to continue. It only took some of my time and effort to find rescues that would take the animals so they weren’t killed. Rescue Rovers was the biggest supporter of saving Ely dogs. I have moved but gave all my info to “Bobby” when he was the AC. Why isn’t the AC calling or contacting rescue groups in NV, UT and CA. I will be sending a letter to Governor Sandoval’s office and hopefully the shame of having a city that is still gassing animals will prompt change. As for VanCamp actually doing anything about it … well is the city getting the much needed help or “cleanup” she promised? Oh that’s right, she added a few metal benches and planters.