Stop the Use of Carbon Monoxide Chambers:
Support SB 969

What is a carbon monoxide chamber?
A carbon monoxide chamber is essentially a sealed box into which animals are placed while carbon monoxide gas is pumped in. The body’s organs require oxygen to function; when carbon monoxide gas is inhaled instead of oxygen, the organs fail, and death is inevitable. Whether or not this death is considered humane depends on what happens between the time that the animal first inhales and the time it loses consciousness. If the process is almost immediate and completely pain free, death can be considered humane; however, if the animal experiences any physical or psychological distress or suffers in any way before it loses consciousness the death is inhumane.

Many carbon monoxide chambers are cobbled together using cinder block or plywood and in some particularly horrific cases supplied with carbon monoxide from a running vehicle, all of which are regrettably still legal under current Pennsylvania law. These homemade chambers not only are incapable of providing a humane death, they place those who use them at grave risk of injury or death. Commercially manufactured carbon monoxide chambers are intended to seal in the carbon monoxide and to deliver the gas in the most effective manner possible. However, even these commercial units have so many limitations they can rarely, if ever, be considered effective at providing humane euthanasia.

Why are carbon monoxide chambers a problem?
Carbon monoxide chambers are difficult to use and expensive to operate and maintain. Claims that they provide emotional and physical benefits to staff are false. Of greatest concern is that fact that most animals can never be humanely euthanized in a carbon monoxide chamber: very young animals, very old animals, pregnant animals, ill/injured animals, and rodents like guinea pigs rabbits can never be humanely euthanized in a chamber, even if that chamber is operating at peak effectiveness.

What is the alternative?
The most humane and effective method of euthanasia currently available is direct injection of sodium pentobarbital. Euthanasia by injection (EBI) is humane for every type of animal, is safer for staff, and is more efficient and less expensive to use than the gas chamber. However, in order to use EBI, shelters must have direct access to euthanasia drugs. Under current law, there is no such mechanism in place ; shelters wishing to use EBI for humane euthanasia must have the cooperation of a local veterinarian willing to “lend” them their license, something that can be particularly difficult for shelters in rural areas. Without access to euthanasia drugs, many shelters have no choice but to continue using their carbon monoxide chamber despite its grave limitations.

S.B. 969 removes this obstacle by putting into place a comprehensive structure for allowing animal shelters to apply for a license with the Board of Pharmacy to procure euthanasia drugs. This license will allow animal shelters who currently use carbon monoxide chambers to procure euthanasia drugs directly, allowing them to immediately eliminate the use of the carbon monoxide chamber, which will in turn save the shelter money, lessen the stress on employees and volunteers, and ensure that all shelters around the state are providing the most humane euthanasia possible. Organizations like the Pennsylvania Federated Humane Societies and the Humane Society of the United States are ready to assist these shelters in making the transition from carbon monoxide to EBI.

Please support legislation to stop the use of carbon monoxide chambers.

Please support SB 969, introduced by Senator Andrew Dinniman to provide a means for direct licensing of euthanasia drugs and bring an end to the use of carbon monoxide chambers .