Running head: PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

Laws and Governance of Pet Euthanasia in the Animal Shelter

Rhonda LaBelle
Tarleton State University

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

Laws and Governance of Pet Euthanasia in the Animal Shelter

Euthanasia is the process of ending the life of an animal. The Department of State Health
Services sets the minimum standard for animal euthanasia within the state of Texas. Chapter 821
of the Health & Safety Code mandates that injectable sodium pentobarbital is the only form of
euthanasia that may be used on dogs and cats and non-veterinarian personnel who perform
euthanasia must be trained in proper procedures (Texas Department of State Health Services,
2013).
As stated, these are the minimum standards for ending the life of an animal. The practical
application of animal euthanasia really falls to local municipalities. The city of Dallas outlines
local ordinances in Chapter 7, Article II, of the Dallas City Code as follows:
SEC. 7-2.8. KILLING OR EUTHANASIA OF ANIMALS.
(a) The director or chief of police is authorized to kill by appropriate and available
means an animal that poses an imminent danger to a person or another animal and a real
or apparent necessity exists for destruction of the animal.
(b) The director is authorized to euthanize, or to allow a licensed veterinarian to
euthanize, an animal impounded at a city animal shelter if:
(1) the director or a licensed veterinarian determines that euthanasia is necessary to
prevent the unnecessary pain and suffering of the animal;
(2) the director or a licensed veterinarian determines that recovery of the animal
from injury, disease, or sickness is in serious doubt; or
(3) the animal is not redeemed from a city animal shelter within the applicable time
period required under Section 7-2.6 of this chapter.

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

(c) An animal impounded at a city animal shelter may only be euthanized by using a
barbiturate or derivative substance approved for that purpose by the Federal Food and
Drug Administration and administered under the direction of a licensed veterinarian. This
section does not apply to action authorized by Subsection (a) of this section. (Ord. 26024)
(Dallas Animal Services, n.d.).
The task of euthanasia is narrowed down even more within the citys department at Dallas
Animal Services (DAS) which created the Euthanasia Process (Appendix A). This five page
document establishes uniform guidelines for performing euthanasia within DAS and its Adoption
Center (City of Dallas, 2013).
The city of Dallas did an outstanding job in creating the Euthanasia Process. The
guidelines are very thorough with double-checks in place to reduce the potential for errors in
performing this irreversible procedure. The only real area of deficiency found in DASs
Euthanasia Process is the failure to address how the animals should be handled during the
euthanasia procedure. Smith-Blackmore (2013) emphasizes that the process of ending an
animals life begins long before sodium pentobarbital is injected. The manner in which [an]
animal is removed from the cage, transported to the euthanasia room, and handled on arrival sets
the tone for the quality of the euthanasia [to be] provided (p. 481). Based on SmithBlackmores recommendations, an Action Plan to address this deficiency would include:

Performing a safety assessment on each animal to determine the level of restraint

necessary to maintain both the safety of the worker and the animal. The goal is to
handle all animals in a gentle and reassuring manner, utilizing as little forced restraint
as necessary.

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

In the time prior to the euthanasia procedure, euthanasia technicians should utilize
food, affection, and gentle talking to reassure animals that are amenable to these
overtures.

Fearful, fractious and unsocialized animals should be given a sedative to calm them
prior to handling for euthanasia.

To prevent additional stress, other animals should not be present when an animal is
euthanized. Additionally, the euthanasia room should be thoroughly cleaned with an
odor-neutralizing solution before bringing another animal into the room for the
procedure.

When euthanizing a mother and young, the mother should be euthanized first,
immediately followed by the offspring. The intent is to reduce the stress a mother
animal experiences when separated from her litter (Smith-Blackmore, 2013).

Euthanasia is a difficult and heart wrenching method for addressing pet overpopulation
and unwanted pets. Animal shelters and shelter personnel have a moral and ethical duty to
perform this unpleasant task in a humane and conscientious manner. Sound guidelines and
protocols help train all personnel to provide a humane death for those animals that must meet
that end.

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

References
City of Dallas (2013). Euthanasia Process. Revision 5. Retrieved from
(http://www.4eval.com/Dallas/CCS/WorkInstructions/CCS-WKI-101%20Euthanasia101713.pdf.
Dallas Animal Services (n.d.). Dallas City Code / Chapter 7 Animals. Retrieved from
www.dallasanimalservices.org/city_code.html.
Texas Department of State Health Services (2013). Euthanasia. Requirements for Animal
Euthanasia. 10 September 2013. Retrieved from
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/zoonosis/animal/control/shelters/euthanasia.
Smith-Blackmore, M. (2013). Euthanasia in Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff,
Second Edition. L. Miller, S. Zawistowski (Eds). Wiley-Blackwell: Ames, IA.

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

Appendix A

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

PET EUTHANASIA IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER

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