Your Opinion: Animal shelter gas chamber called "barbaric'

Dear Editor:

I find it appalling that Dr. Crago and the members of the Jefferson City Animal Shelter Advisory Committee have stated that using a gas chamber as a form of euthanasia is less stressful and quick.

Granted, this method is still approved in our state while 23 other states do not gas or have banned their use. Once again, Missouri fails to be on the cutting edge though Missouri does have many large cities who handle far more animals than Jefferson City and do not find it necessary to use a gas chamber.

There is also a Resolution pending in Congress to ban the practice of gassing shelter animals nationwide, that being House Resolution 208 sponsored by Virginia Congressman Jim Moran.

Studies have shown that this method of euthanasia is far more stressful and painful and for anyone to state that animals simply go to sleep is far from factual. Gas used for anesthesia prior to surgery is what simply puts an animal to sleep, not CO2. To kill animals with CO2 gas is archaic, barbaric, and inhumane, not to mention more costly than euthanasia by injection and must stop.

Our city can and must do better.