Spalding County, GA to Stop Use of Gas Chambers

Update May 19, 2009: A grass-roots campaign to stop the use of the gas chamber in Spalding County, Georgia, appears to have succeeded.  The County Commissioners are expected to vote in July on a budget that lists euthanasia by injection (EBI) rather than CO gassing as the means for which funds will be allocated for euthanasia of shelter animals.

The county commissioners have found that euthanasia by injection of sodium pentobarbital is more cost effective than CO gassing. They plan to stop using the CO gas chambers to kill shelter animals.

One commissioner explained,  "This was a purely fiscal decision. Spalding County Animal Control will go to euthanasia by injection and stop euthanizing by gas effective July 1 if the current proposed budget is approved by the Commissioners.  Even if there is debate over the budget and it is not approved, the result will be a delay in implementing the procedure not a negation of the procedure.  This item will remain intact because it’s fiscally responsible, it saves us money and we are into saving [the taxpayers’] money."

This plan has already been approved by a committee.

There is no reason to contact the commissioners unless you want to thank them.   

The address is: 
 
Spalding County Government
P.O. Box 1087, Griffin, Georgia  30224
Email: info@spaldingcounty.com
Phone: (770) 467-4200

The names of the Commissioners are:

Eddie Freeman

Edward Goss (Chairman)

Gwen Flowers-Taylor (Vice Chairman)

David Phillips

Bob Gilreath

The County Manager is William P. Wilson, Jr. 

http://www.spaldingcounty.com/commissioners/countycommissioners.htm

Click on these links for a look at Georgia’s Humane Euthanasia Act and the litigation this year to stop use of gas chambers in Georgia.