Gas Chamber Euthanasia By Cathy McKitrick
O
REM — Animal rights activists are
At NUVAS, their gas chamber is their sole
making their voices heard in the
method to kill shelter animals.
to get elected officials to halt the use of gas
by the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter
chambers to euthanize shelter animals.
(SUVAS) in Spanish Fork, which uses both
second largest city in Utah County, hoping
“I’ve had about 40 emails, and we’ve had
The southern half of the county is served
EBI and its gas chamber to put animals
multiple people show up at city council in
down. SUVAS serves Utah County’s largest
our personal appearance section ... it’s been
city (Provo), along with Elk Ridge, Genola,
a very large outcry against what’s going on,”
Goshen, Mapleton, Salem, Santaquin,
Orem Mayor Richard Brunst said.
Spanish Fork, Springville and Woodland
The nonprofit Utah Animal Rights
Hills.
Coalition (UARC), which is spearheading
Tug Gettling has directed NUVAS since
the effort, posted on its website that as of
2005, and maintains that the gas chamber
May 2021, all Utah animal shelters had
is less stressful and painful for animals than
abandoned the old gas chamber method
EBI. He also believes that it’s “safer and less
in favor of euthanization by injection (EBI)
traumatic to the staff members having to
— except for two that serve all of Utah
perform this unpleasant task.”
County. And UARC Executive Director Jeremy Beckham said that only four shelters in the
But animal advocates nationwide disagree. “Death in a gas chamber can be painful
nation still use gas chambers to euthanize
and excruciating,” Kitty Block, president of
cats and dogs.
the Humane Society of the United States,
The North Utah Valley Animal Shelter
said in her February 2020 blog. “The
(NUVAS) in Lindon serves Orem and 10
animals are placed in the small, dark box,
other cities that include Alpine, American
and they may remain conscious for several
Fork, Cedar Hills, Eagle Mountain,
minutes, terrified and trying desperately to
Highland, Lehi, Lindon, Orem, Pleasant
find a way out.”
Grove, Saratoga Springs and Vineyard.
44 | utahstories.com
And shelters sometimes put several
