Stop the Slaughterhouse at Animal Control Centers and Shelters

Dear Senate and House of Representatives: According to Wikipedia, animal euthanasia is defined as "the act of humanely putting an animal to death or allowing it to die as by withholding extreme medical measures." Furthermore, "[e]uthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress."What is being called euthanasia at "shelters" is more akin to something you'd see at a slaughterhouse. Murderers on death row are treated to a more humane death than these innocent animals. In an effort to save time and money, lethal injection is not performed. It is too much trouble to shave the injection site, anesthetize it then perform the lethal injection. Instead the vet takes a large syringe with a needle and stabs the animal in the chest, hoping to hit the heart. So while murderers get a lethal injection, innocent animals who have done nothing to end up where they are, are stabbed in the heart, sometimes multiple times and bled out. This a a very painful death. Other methods include gassing, compression shooting, electrocution, and drowning. This is standard practice at every shelter in 36 of 50 states. It goes without saying that these animals deserve better. We're already putting them to death. At least let it be a humane one. We ask that legislation be enacted at the federal level to protect animals from this horrible practice. At best we want shelters to be no kill shelters, and at the minimum for lethal injection to be the means of euthanasia. We also ask that criminal penalties be established for those who do not comply with the law. Veterinarians who work with these shelters have a fiduciary duty to protect the animals and their welfare. Clearly there is a disconnect between shelters' and veterinarians' responsibilities, the expectations of the public as to how these animals are treated and the reality of what actually happens to them. Because of this fiduciary duty, we ask that penalties greater than those prescribed to convicted animal abusers and neglecters be established. In addition, we would like to outlaw puppy mills altogether and regulate "backyard" breeders through licensing, inspection, and certification. Part of the problem is that shelters are over-run by animals. People do not spay or neuter their pets. While there are adoptable dogs and cats at the shelter, people prefer to buy from breeders or pet stores. We would like to enact legislation that would allow the adoption fees from a shelter to be tax deductible. Lastly, we would like to enact legislation to offer those citizens who have had their pet(s) spayed or neutered a one-time tax deduction per animal in the year that the animal was spayed or neutered. Thank you for your attention to these matters. Signed,