City staff condoned gas boxes to kill cats

By Derek Spalding, Daily News
June 15, 2009

City manager Jerry Berry took the blame last night for allowing his staff to
allow Nanaimo animal shelter employees to kill cats using carbon dioxide,
despite a contract with the city that disapproves of such a means of
euthanasia.

Council members ordered staff to adhere to the original agreement signed in
2005 and created a new policy that requires the contractor to lethal
injection of barbituates to kill cats at the city pound.

Nanaimo Animal Shelter returned to the gas box use several years ago, with
city staff permission, because injections proved too traumatic for feral
animals, the Nanaimo Daily News reported last month. Since that time, people
have lobbied to have the city change its policy. Berry told councillors at
last night's council meeting that "if there is blame" for not adhering to
the contract, "it is mine."

Councillors Fred Pattje and Diana Johnstone both spoke to the controversial
use of carbon dioxide. Johnstone preferred to "cease and dismiss"
immediately, while Pattje said he was disturbed that this gassing had been
going on "God knows how many years," without anyone's knowledge.

The animal shelter euthanized 67 cats between May 2008 and April 2009.

Thirty-three of the euthanized cats were brought in by their owners, 19 were
violent or problematic, 12 were feral and three suffered severe injuries.

DSpalding@nanaimodailynews.com

250-729-4231