It has recently come to light that the Nanaimo and North Cowichan pounds use gas boxes to kill cats. A news story on this topic was aired on CHEK 6 News on April 29. The main victims of this barbaric practice are feral cats and kittens. There are preferred, humane, no-kill methods to deal with feral cats (trap/spay/neuter), so the necessity of these killings is highly debatable in the first place.
The use of gas boxes to kill animals is a brutal method that leads to a protracted and painful death. For this reason, many states in the U.S.
have banned the use of gas for killing animals. The only reason that an animal pound or shelter would utilize this cruel method over an injection of sodium pentobarbital (which gives a quick, painless death) is to save money.
Here are some things you can do to learn more, and to help:
*1.* Please sign this on-line petition; it provides further information about what happens to the animals placed in gas boxes:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-cats-from-being-gassed-to-death.html
*2.* View the youtube video footage on gas boxes. Warning: distressing content.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlIeTKWMkd4&feature=related
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlIeTKWMkd4&feature=related>
*3.* The Nanaimo Council will have an item on their agenda about use of the gas box for euthanasia. The meeting will be held in the SHAW AUDITORIUM, 80 COMMERCIAL STREET, NANAIMO, at 7:00 p.m. on Monday May 25. Apparently 29 Nanaimo cats were gassed last year, and that is 29 too many. We would like as many people to attend as possible. he agenda is on their website.
The item is listed as other business on page 8. There is a time for public comments on agenda items at the end of the meeting.
*4.* Write to council members expressing your views on this brutal
method of euthanisa, and calling for a ban on the use of gas boxes.
*Email address for the Nanaimo Council: mayor.council@nanaimo.ca
<mailto:mayor.council@nanaimo.ca>
*Email address for North Cowichan: council@northcowichan.bc.ca
<mailto:council@northcowichan.bc.ca>
Thank you on behalf of the cats and kittens of Nanaimo and North Cowichan.....We hope to see you on tonight!
Jean Martin
Lantzville, BC