There was an explosion yesterday inside the animal gas chamber at Iredell County Animal Services shelter.
The fire department was called to contain the resulting fire. 10 dogs were inside the gas chamber at the time. The gas chamber was at the end of its cycle when the explosion occurred.
It was reported by Tracy Jackson, assistant county manager, that no one inside the office even heard the explosion. American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines for use of animal gas chambers in its 2007 Euthanasia Report state gas chambers "must be well lit and have view ports that allow personnel direct observation of animals" that are inside. It is recommended personnel remain in the room when the animals are in the chamber.
The AVMA report also states the gas chamber must not be overloaded and "the CO chamber must be of the highest quality construction and should allow for separation of individual animals".
The AVMA 2007 Euthanasia Report says that carbon monoxide gas used in animal gas chambers is "hazardous to personnel because of the risk of explosions …or health effects resulting from chronic exposure". The 2007 Report goes on to state, "The equipment used to deliver and maintain this high concentration must be in good working order and in compliance with state and federal regulations. Leaky or faulty equipment may lead to slow, distressful death and be hazardous to other animals and to personnel….Safeguards must be taken to prevent exposure of personnel. …Any electrical equipment exposed to CO (eg, lights and fans) must be explosion proof….[I]f the chamber is inside a room, CO monitors must be placed in the room to warn personnel of hazardous concentrations. It is essential that CO use be in compliance with state and federal occupational health and safety regulations".
Iredell County’s gas chamber was made of recycled parts.
One of the manufacturers of gas chambers in North Carolina is Dr. Ralph Houser, DVM, a North Carolina resident and member of the state’s Board of the North Carolina Animal Rabies Control Association. Not surprisingly, Dr. Houser advocates against the use of lethal injection or EBI, the method of euthanasia "preferred" by AVMA. It is believed by many that he is single handledly responsible for the reluctance of the state’s Board of Agriculture to ban use of this cruel, medieval device. For more on Dr. Houser, click here to read Pet Overpopulation and Euthanasia in North Carolina
Officials at Iredell County Animal Services say they will use lethal injection to euthanize animals until the vendor determines the gas chamber is safe.
When a Tennessee shelter worker died as a result of CO poisoning while he was euthanizing an animal, the state moved to make the use of the animal gas chamber illegal. Tenn. Code § 44-17-303 Sadly, more than one person in North Carolina may already have died from CO poisoning from animal gas chambers. North Carolina Coalition for Humane Euthanasia reports that recent inspections show some gas chambers have leaked high levels of carbon monoxide and endangered county employees and three county employees operating gas chambers in North Carolina have died in recent years.
This horrific incident comes at a time when North Carolina officials are revising regulations for euthanasia. In November, 2007 the Board of Agriculture published a draft of proposed rules that contained a sunset provision for use of animal gas chambers. Under that provision all chambers would be banned by January 1, 2012. The Board, however, recently dropped that provision as well as restrictions on the use of the gas chamber for sick, injured and geriatric animals. It also eliminated requirements related to training and certification of euthanasia technicians. Click here for more on this.
I have first-hand knowledge of the incident that occurred recently at the Iredell County, NC Animal Shelter, and there are a few items that deserve clarification:
-The flashover was contained within the chamber and occurred in the top portion of the chamber. There was no fire upon arrival of the fire department.
-The Animal Shelter office is in the same facility as the gas chamber, and the fact that no one in the office heard the explosion indicates it was small explosion.
-The chamber has adequate lighting, a portal window, and there was a technician present at the time of the flashover.
-It is my understanding that the shelter worker death in Chattanooga, TN occurred while the chamber was being cleaned AFTER operation of the CO chamber. Various safety features and procedures would not allow for a similar incident to occur at our shelter.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each form of euthanasia. We have considered these pro’s and con’s and use the methods best suited to our current situation in terms of efficacy, costs, staffing, facilities, and time. Our number one goal is the safety of the public and our employees.
While a minor explosion did occur in our chamber, it was contained to the chamber, and no one was hurt because the safety features of the chamber worked as intended. The fire extinguished itself quickly once the remaining gas was consumed, and suppression by the fire department was not required. The dogs in the chamber were deceased at the time of the flashover, and they were not impacted at all by the combustion of gas that occurred at the top of the chamber.
These are the facts of this matter, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify the details surrounding this incident.
Respectfully,
Mr. Tracy Jackson, Asst. County Manager
Iredell County
You say that you “….. use the methods best suited to our current situation in terms of efficacy, costs, staffing, facilities, and time. Our number one goal is the safety of the public and our employees.” WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS? THEY AREN’T EVEN MENTIONED HERE! IF YOU ARE SHORT HANDED, HAVE A LOCAL VET COME AROUND ONCE A WEEK AND DO PTS SHOTS…USE MUZZLES IF NEED BE TO PROTECT THE VET, BUT BE HUMANE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S ANIMALS!
The dogs in the chamber were deceased at the time of the flashover, and they were not impacted at all by the combustion of gas that occurred at the top of the chamber.
WHAT IF THEY HADN’T BEEN DEAD YET? THE HORROR OF 10 DOGS TRAPPED IN A METAL CAN, BURNING TO DEATH! WHY TAKE THE CHANCE? THIS IS OUTDATED AND INHUMANE. ANYONE WHO SHOVES ANIMALS IN THERE, WATCHES THEM SUFFER AND DIE,THEN DRAGS THEIR BODIES OUT MUST SURELY HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL RESERVED FOR THEM!
YOU ALL CAN DO BETTER, PLEASE DO IT NOW! THANKS FOR ANYTHING YOU DO TO BE COMPASSIONATE TO ALL THE LITTLE ONES WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG BUT BE BORN.
The chamber at Iredell looks similar to the one at the top of the article. 10 dogs were crammed in and not separated at all. It can take awhile for animals to die in the chamber; they suffer terribly, and some have survived a cycle in the chamber. Mr. Jackson cannot say they were all dead when this explosion occurred. We can say they were all terrified and in pain as this terrible death occurred, whether before or duing the explosion.
CO gas is not safe for humans – it is odorless, colorless and there is no way to tell if it is present without functioning monitors –  and studies have shown low level exposure even over time can cause severe illness. Over time these workers are surely being exposed to some level of CO in loading, unloading, cleaning out or just being around the chamber. This chamber was made from used parts. Many chambers are old, leaky, making CO exposure more likely. So Mr. Jackson has no way of knowing whether anyone will suffer illnesses in the long run from use of such an archaic method of euthanasia.
Not to mention the psychological suffering of watching animals die this way.
The gas chamber is not more humane or safer or more cost effective than EBI. Even the AVMA agrees EBI, lethal injection, is preferable. Â
There is no reason for this county to be so insistent on using the chamber. We can find funding to train workers in humane euthanasia. Studies have shown EBI is actually less expensive than the chamber. It’s certainly more humane. Â
What is so astonishing to me, is the “people” who kill God’s beautiful creatures, by cramming them into a “chamber” and hear their cries; watch them scratch, bite themselves and others, convulse, deficate and even bleed from their cavities are citizens of the Bible Belt! Would you do that infront of Jesus? God help you!
i was hoping to see someone (besides these innocent animals) had died. who cares about any of your equpiment…who cares about the office being close by….WHO CARES!! i care more about those innocent animals you people are KILLING!! i know im about 2 years too late but how bout putting YOURSELVES in the chamber an turning it on…..i hope you live thru it just like most bigger animals do….i hope you can experience the torture and pain they suffer before there UNNECESSARY deaths then i hope you get put in again….and again. YOU PEOPLE ARE WRONG!! NO DEBATING THIS!!! WRONG!!! i can only hope next time someone dies maybe then you will ban this ridiculous KILLING!!