After decade long battle, animal shelter ends gas chamber euthanasia

In another step forward for the animals, North Utah Valley Animal Shelter (NUVAS) announced on August 26, 2021 that it will end gas chamber euthanasia after 10 years of pressure from the community and activist groups. Special thanks is owed to the Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) for their persistent efforts in this accomplishment. While we celebrate these achievements, it is important to look back at how this happened, and the barriers overcome along the way. 

The animal shelter industry in the United States is a great example of a system that improved due to its adoption of more compassionate policies. In the 1970s, we euthanized 13.5 million animals in our shelters, and now that number is down, by some estimates, to around 1 million. Many factors led to this shift, including activists raising awareness about the plight of animals, increased access to spay/neuter, the emergence of private rescue groups and transfer partners, increased funding for municipal shelters, tracking metrics such as live release rates, as well as veterinarians and shelter staff working to change systems from within. 

While activists have played a huge role in inspiring change in the shelter industry, however, it is admittedly a double edged sword. On one hand, activists’ protests and actions raise awareness about ethical concerns and instill the sense of urgency that is required. On the other, when these criticisms focus on an institution or individual, it can then lead to a battle of egos. Each side digs in their heels and refuses to communicate. The campaign then devolves into an  “us” vs “them” battle of stubborness. Will activists continue to pressure the institution, or will they become demoralized and move onto another cause? Those facing activist pressure, in turn, hope to outlast the activists to avoid having to admit that their policies were wrong. Additionally, institutions may not want to give activists a win that would set a precedent and embolden them to ask for even greater change.  

When asking for change, it is important to start a conversation, keep egos in check, and make friends, but if that fails to create change, escalation is necessary. One of UARC’s Five Commitments listed on their website is a commitment to non-violence, stating:

Although suffering and life are intertwined and can never be totally disentangled, we believe we must strive to minimize our harm to other sentient beings. To be effective ambassadors for this message, UARC is committed to nonviolence in all of its efforts. Nonviolence should not be confused with passivity or inaction; rather, it allows its adherents to maintain the moral high ground, and effectively reach the hearts and minds of others, without sparking fear or resentment, which inevitably produces division, backlash, and repression. 

Previously, activists attempted to pass a statewide ban on gas chambers. The ban failed in March for the ninth year in a row.  UARC shifted to a local focus, addressing each city that was served by NUVAS: writing to the city council members and mayors, as well as speaking at city council meetings, urging them to modify their NUVAS contracts to prohibit gas chamber euthanasia. 

UARC activists unfurl huge petition in front of the Orem City Council.

Through public record requests, they obtained intake forms, euthanasia logs and photos of the individual animals euthanized. This information showed that since 2019, more than 1000 animals had been killed in the NUVAS gas chamber. UARC shared the pictures of these animals and told their stories. Their efforts culminated with the gathering of 70,000 signatures, all of which were printed on a giant sheet of paper, which was theatrically unveiled at Orem County City Hall on June 15th in front of the City Council. The petition was so large it could not be fully extended within the chamber, and it apparently made an impression, as Mayor Richard Brunst later publicly stated his opposition to gas chamber euthanasia. 

Tug Gettling, director of NUVAS since 2005, historically defended the gas chamber by stating that it was “safer and less traumatic to the staff members having to perform this unpleasant task.” This belief was contrary to the American Veterinary Medical Association euthanasia guidelines which states:

[carbon monoxide gas] is not recommended for routine euthanasia of cats and dogs. It may be considered in unusual or rare circumstances, such as natural disasters and large-scale disease outbreaks. Alternate methods with fewer conditions and disadvantages are recommended for companion animals where feasible.

Activists ramped up the pressure starting in March, leading to thousands of UARC members and supporters to contact elected officials in Utah County, and to make public comment at the August 25th NUVAS board meeting. Gettling then updated his position, stating that euthanasia by injection is the “most humane” and “most preferred” method, and that NUVAS will end gas chamber euthanasia “as quickly as possible.”

From UARC “Conway, Intake number 367. . .Conway was killed in the gas chamber at NUVAS on March 16, 2021.”

Gas chambers are not the first issue that drew activist attention towards NUVAS. In 2011, activist pressure led the University of Utah to stop purchasing animals from NUVAS for biochemical experiments. Before a 2010 law was passed, animal shelters in Utah were required to hand over animals to researchers for experimentation; the 2010 law made this voluntary. 

Activists will now focus their efforts on South Utah Valley Animal Shelter in Spanish Fork, which is the last shelter in Utah that still uses a gas chamber. Notably absent from this conversation is the Utah Veterinary Medical Association (UVMA), showing once again that we cannot rely on our professional organizations to envision and create more compassionate systems for animals. While activist tactics may fail in the beginning, their persistence is necessary to change systems that are otherwise stuck in outmoded ways.

Activists may sometimes make us feel defensive--outsiders telling us how to do our jobs. But, instead of fighting them, we should aspire to engage in an open dialogue, and use their passion to help us achieve our goals, which is to reduce suffering. Activists force us to rethink our processes, and can give our stagnant institutions a new opportunity to make progress towards a more compassionate future.