To date, forty-nine states have passed laws to regulate the euthanasia of animals. Euthanasia can only be performed by a licensed veterinarian or technician. Methods of euthanasia on animals are defined in laws or regulations, but veterinarians also seek guidelines with best practices established by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The AVMA has written guidelines to help veterinarians relieve “the pain and suffering of animals to be euthanized.” The recommendations contained in the guidelines are intended to guide veterinarians, who must then apply them with professional judgment to the various areas in which animals are to be euthanized. Carbon monoxide is often used, but some U.S. states have banned its use in shelters: Although carbon monoxide poisoning is not particularly painful, the conditions in the gas chamber are often not humane. [13] Nitrogen has been shown to be effective, although some juveniles are more resistant to effects,[14] and is currently not widely used. If you can no longer care for your sick pet or pay for its medical needs, you can donate it to an animal shelter for free and without legal penalties. In some cases, animals euthanized in shelters or animal control authorities have been sent to rendering facilities[26][27][28] for use in cosmetics, fertilizers, gelatin, poultry food, pharmaceuticals and pet food. [29] It has been suggested that the presence of pentobarbital in dog food may have resulted in dogs responding less to the drug when euthanized.
[30] However, a 2002 FDA study found no dog or cat DNA in the foods tested, so the theory was put forward that the drug found in the dog food came from euthanized cattle and horses. In addition, the content of the drug found in animal feed was safe. [31] Some states have also enacted emergency euthanasia laws to prevent law enforcement officers from being held liable for cruelty to animals when the officer has no choice but to humanely euthanize a dog. Such circumstances occur when the dog is dangerous and poses a danger to the health and safety of the public or another animal. A law enforcement officer could also shoot a dog that is so badly injured or sick, and after reasonable but unsuccessful efforts to locate the dog`s owner, additional time would result in inhumane pain and suffering for the animal. Euthanasia of small animals is usually performed in a veterinary clinic, hospital or shelter and is usually performed by a veterinarian or veterinary technician under the supervision of the veterinarian. Often, shelter workers are also trained in the implementation of euthanasia. Some veterinarians perform euthanasia at the owner of the animal – this is practically mandatory in the case of euthanasia of large animals. In the case of large animals that have sustained injuries, this also happens at the scene of an accident, for example on a race track. Sometimes a veterinarian may refuse euthanasia and refer the animal to an animal shelter, which may choose to euthanize it. You can legally euthanize your pet (i.e. kill to relieve pain) under certain circumstances.
You must meet the two criteria listed below to legally kill your pet. Animal euthanasia (Greek: εὐθανασία; A good death is the act of killing or letting an animal die by preventing extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and particularly painful) conditions or diseases,[1] lack of resources to continue to support the animal or laboratory tests. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and suffering. Euthanasia is different from animal slaughter and pest control, although in some cases the procedure is the same. Laws and regulations may vary for farms, slaughterhouses and livestock. Check your local prescriptions if you are unsure. The method of euthanasia is fairly standard in all 50 states, with most states allowing the injection of sodium pentobarbital or a similar agent.
However, some states allow the use of carbon monoxide chambers, which often require animals to be of a certain age. If intravenous injection is not possible, euthanasia drugs such as pentobarbital can be injected directly into a heart chamber or body cavity. Some states have extensive laws that cover the procedure and method of euthanasia, while others have few or no laws or regulations directly on the ground. Euthanasia of animals, especially pets, is becoming a topic of public interest, even though the number of animals euthanized has declined since 1970, from about 15 million pets to about 1.5 million animals euthanized in shelters, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reported in 2017. But what does euthanasia mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines euthanasia as “the act or practice of killing irreparably ill or injured persons (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless manner or permitting death for reasons of mercy.” It could be argued that by using the word euthanasia instead of killing, we feel better and perform something that is ethically and morally acceptable. Finally, the word euthanasia has its origin in the Greek word “euthanatos”, which means “good death”. Owner-induced euthanasia is only legal if your pet is: We Americans love our pets. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are more than 160 million dogs and cats in the United States today. According to ASPCA statistics, approximately 7.6 million pets come to shelters in the United States each year. The AVMA guidelines for animal euthanasia are intended for members of the veterinary profession who perform or supervise the euthanasia of animals. The main obligation of these guidelines is to provide advice to veterinarians to relieve the pain and suffering of animals to be euthanized. The decision that an animal can no longer be helped is subjective for the veterinarian.
They have euthanasia guidelines to follow under the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Animal shelters and rescues can move most dogs for you for free. Many shelters require an appointment before an animal is dropped. It is never illegal to hand over an injured or sick animal. Euthanasia methods can be divided into pharmacological and physical methods. Acceptable pharmacological methods include injection drugs and gases that suppress the central nervous system first and then cardiovascular activity. Acceptable physical methods must first cause rapid loss of consciousness by disrupting the central nervous system. The most common methods are discussed here, but there are other acceptable methods used in different situations. [4] Some animal rights organizations support euthanasia of animals in certain circumstances and practice euthanasia in the shelters they operate. [20] State law also requires that what an establishment knows or ought to know through identification or vaccination tags, personal knowledge or otherwise that a non-agricultural animal has an owner must be retained for at least three full business days from the time of introduction before the animal can be euthanized.
This applies to all public or private facilities, animal shelters or other establishments operated for the collection, care or euthanasia of stray, neglected, abandoned or unwanted animals. This three-day detention period does not apply in an emergency situation requiring immediate euthanasia of an injured, dangerous or critically ill non-farm animal. Gaseous anesthetics such as isoflurane and sevoflurane can be used for euthanasia of very small animals. Animals are placed in sealed chambers where large quantities of stunning gases are introduced. Death can also be caused by carbon dioxide if unconsciousness was obtained by inhaled anesthetic. [9] Carbon dioxide alone is often used alone for wildlife euthanasia. [10] Opinions are divided as to whether it causes stress when used alone, with human experiments supporting evidence that it can cause stress, and ambiguous results in non-humans. [11] In 2013, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) published new guidelines for carbon dioxide induction, indicating that a flow rate of 10% to 30% volume/min is optimal for human euthanasia of small rodents. [12] The rules of the Veterinary Medical Council explicitly authorize methods of euthanasia.