I am someone who is not to naive to the millions of animals who are euthanized in shelters each and every year in the United States. I have held alot of animals as they died in my arms wanting to let them know they were loved and will never be forgotten. And personally for me, that has held true. I have countless photos of these animals all over my office to remind me of their faces before they met their untimely demise. I still sit and stare at their faces wanting them to know their lives were not in vain. That is why I do what I do.
As stated I was present for so many animals that were euthanized that I haven’t a clue as to the actual numbers of deaths I witnessed.
While I was present with dogs, cats, ducks, birds being euthanized along with my own personal pets, I found there to be a difference in the manner in which euthanization is carried out.
I have been receiving emails and messages through facebook about a particular shelter in North Carolina, Robeson County Animal Shelter, that uses heartstick euthanasia. I’ve been reading horrific stories concerning this practice at this shelter. According to what I’ve been reading, some workers have allegedly taken delight in killing some dogs using this method. This isn’t the only animal shelter that has come under fire using this form of euthanizing animals.
Getting back to my own experiences….when my own pets have been euthanized, each was given an IV in their leg. Through that IV was given medicine to sedate them. To calm them. I would hold them as the veterinarian woud gently give them the medicine that gently “put them to sleep”. A peaceful transition from this world to the next.
Working at an animal shelter, this experience was different for me. There were no IV’s in legs prior to euthanization. For a dog it was inserting a needle into a leg and injecting the medicine that euthanized them. Having witnessed many euthanizations, I will have to say the vast majority died peacefully and instantly. Some dogs were tougher to euthanize than others. Rottweillers were difficult to euthanize in my experience. However, overall, most died very quickly and had their lives snuffed out in an instant. Heartwrenching to watch since so many lost their lives.
Reading about Robeson Animal Shelter coming under fire using the heartstick method of euthanasia has me curious.
When I witnessed cats being euthanized and believe me, more cats were killed each year than dogs, it was a different story. What I saw was someone sticking a needle straight into the cat’s heart. Just let me say this, this was a few years ago so I don’t know if that same practice is still being used today.
What I want to know- is this the heartstick method of euthanasia that this other shelter and other shelters have been accused of using, one in the same as I witnessed?
Heartstick euthanasia is said to be a very painful way to die if not done correctly. If done correctly, a needle is passed through the chest wall and layers of muscles into the heart. If done incorrectly, the lungs could be pierced and they could fill up with fluid resulting in an extremely painful manner in which to die.
I have seen firsthand cats and kittens who did not die instantly. I had stayed with one cat for 45 minutes who remained alive. I watched as many stumbled and eventually died after 10-15 minutes.
But I’ve also seen many workers who knew exactly how to perform this type of euthanasia and the cats/kittens died instantly.
I understand shelters are stuck (no pun intended) with the horrible and despicable task of being forced to kill unwanted animals that people no longer wanted or discarded. It is not their fault they must euthanize these animals. Believe me, I have seen up close and personal what it does to some of these workers. It’s hard on the soul.
But what I want to know- did I witness heartstick euthanasia? If so, why is it still allowed? According the American Medical Veterinary Association, heartstick euthanasia is acceptable only when performed on heavily sedated, anesthetized, or comatose animals. Then why do shelters still perform this barbaric form of euthanasia?