An OHIO SPCA Action Campaign

 

In September 2012, the OHIO SPCA launched its official action campaign, The End of Gassing. This campaign is the final push and culmination of twelve years of on-the ground efforts by the OHIO SPCA to end the gassing of companion animals in Ohio. For over a decade, victories for the animals have been many with gassing and shooting being replaced by Euthanasia by Injection. Only a handful of counties in Ohio still use this barbaric and inhumane method to end the lives of companion animals. The OHIO SPCA is working hard to bring the number to zero and make Ohio a NO gassing state.

 

Why is it inhumane? Read below:

The arguments against chambers are clear. Gassing is barbaric, animals suffer, and it is dangerous to pound employees. There is nothing humane about using a gas chamber to end the life of any animal. Animals are placed inside a "box" or cage with other animals. As the gas fills the chamber, the animals begin to panic, cry, and fights can break out. According to the American Humane Association, it can take up to 25 minutes for an animal to die. When EBI is used, an animal loses consciousness within 3 to 5 seconds and clinical death occurs within 2 to 5 minutes. Brain function is lost before organs fail. When animals are gassed, vital organs shut down before animals lose consciousness and brain function resulting in prolonged suffering and distress. This is especially true for old, sick, injured, pregnant, and very young animals unable to readily absorb the gas. Many animals have survived and been gassed a second time. "The Ohio Revised Code mandates that death be quick and painless. The use of a gas chamber violates this law," states John Bell, attorney for the Ohio SPCA.

 

Twenty states have outlawed the use of gas chambers and for good reasons. Death is slow and many animals have survived the gassing only to be gassed again or thrown in the trash alive. 

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During the early morning hours on December 15, the Ohio House passed SB 164, which bans the use of gas chambers in Ohio animal shelters. Although this bill is good for the record, the last gas chamber was removed in Erie County in July of 2021. For nearly two decades, the Ohio SPCA went county by county, and through public exposure and three lawsuits, we stopped the use of bullets, homemade gas boxes, and gas chambers. Our volunteers were on the ground to dig up dogs that had been shot in the head and to photograph homemade gas boxes and gas chambers. The graphic images they faced will never be forgotten.  As a result of the dedicated work of our volunteers, thousands of dogs did not die a horrific death. County shelters switched to lethal injection and shelter adoptions increased.

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