Please stop the inhumane gassing of animals. It is barbaric and immoral. For those of you who say animals are different than people, I agree. We, as people, have the ability and responsibilty to take a stand and do the right thing. Animals do not have this ability. We, as decent beings, should be the voice for those that cannot speak for themselves... be they animals or children. BTW, studies have shown people who abuse animals are much more likely to abuse people. What kind of society do we want?

I am working to ban the gassing of shelter animals across Texas! I am in the process of sending out open records requests to cities/counties across TX to determine which shelters are using carbon monoxide (gas) chamber. Victoria is 1 of 7 gassing shelters. So far, I have learned 70 cities/counties do NOT gas! I created a website last August to ban the gassing and educate the public. I also have LOTS of contact info on the site. My website is www.STOPgassingtexaspets.com I am a private citizen not with any group. The site is free to visit and I am not paid.

I have no association with PETA or with any other organization. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is not a pretty way to go......they toss 15 or 20 dogs in a small space together and they are frightened beyond belief and the more vicious animals start attacking the others immediately. When the gas is turned on and the animals start to gasp for air, they go crazy, biting themselves and each other. Some of them don't die the first time around so have to be put through this horror two times. Come on people...don't talk to me about "painful" injections....that's a crock. It is a money thing and if we can waste money on lawyers for our elected officials that choose to break the law; I think we can afford a few bucks to see that these animals do not suffer.

"Once all the starving abused and neglected children are fed, and sheltered, then we should be worried about animals. "

RebeccaKeith-
Be comforted knowing that if they do it to a kid they have most likely have already done it to an animal. Most folks that abuse kids tend to use animals as practice tees. Old folks too for that matter.

It's a pity that so little is done for human beings in Victoria. Maybe RebeccaKeith could visit with the churches and see if they could lend a hand.

Just sayin'....

Code I think its real special how politically correct you are about everything! I don't need to be however, I am okay with whats right :) I realize that there are people who disagree.

@ code, I know you get my point because you are intelligent. Homelessness is one example, I mean animal rights vs. human rights.

"Thus, I'd like to ask a question: Do you staunch supporters of PETA also support terrorism? PETA does, and it has been well-documented by the FBI. Give that some thought when you choose your alliances..."

I'm not a fan of PETA, there are plenty of other hard working, less extreme organizations out there who get my support.

From http://www.petakillsanimals.com, here are some eye-openers you may want to consider before associating yourself with such a rabid and extremist organization as PETA. While I applaud anyone for having the fortitude to take a stand, I also challenge you to think about the agenda you are associating yourself with.

1) According to government documents, PETA employees have killed more than 19,200 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens since 1998. PETA kills over 90% of the animals it accepts and spends part of its $32 million annual income on a contract with a crematory service to empty hundreds of animal bodies from its large freezer.

2) PETA president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk has described her group’s goal as “total animal liberation,” meaning the abolition of meat, milk, cheese, eggs, honey, zoos, aquariums, circuses, wool, leather, fur, silk, hunting, fishing, and pet ownership. In a 2003 profile of Newkirk in The New Yorker, Michael Specter wrote that Newkirk has had at least one seeing-eye dog taken away from its blind owner.

3) PETA has given tens of thousands of dollars to convicted arsonists and other violent criminals. This includes a 2001 donation of $1,500 to the North American Earth Liberation Front (ELF), an FBI-certified “domestic terrorist” group responsible for dozens of firebombs and death threats. During the 1990s, PETA paid $70,200 to Rodney Coronado, an Animal Liberation Front (ALF) serial arsonist convicted of burning down a Michigan State University research laboratory. In his sentencing memorandum, a federal prosecutor also implicated PETA president Ingrid Newkirk. PETA vegetarian campaign coordinator Bruce Friedrich has also told an animal rights convention that “blowing stuff up and smashing windows” is “a great way to bring about animal liberation,” adding, “Hallelujah to the people who are willing to do it.”

4) PETA activists target children as young as six with anti-meat/anti-milk propaganda, even waiting outside schools to intercept them without notifying their parents. One piece of kid-targeted literature tells small children: “Your Mommy Kills Animals!” PETA brags that its messages reach over 1.2 million minor children, including 30,000 kids between the ages of 6 and 12, all contacted without parental supervision.

5) PETA has repeatedly attacked research foundations like the March of Dimes, the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the American Cancer Society.

6) PETA has compared Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust to farm animals and Jesus Christ to pigs. PETA’s religious campaigns include a website that claims that Jesus Christ was a vegetarian. PETA holds protests at houses of worship. Its billboards taunt Christians with the message that hogs “died for their sins.” And its infamous “Holocaust on Your Plate” campaign crassly compared the Jewish victims of Nazi genocide to farm animals.

Ex:

I only give up my rights to elected officials not online commentators ;-)

As to the “campaign” using the signature lines of Adopt-A-Pet without consent, that is how PETA -- widely recognized as the core of the effort -- operates: with deceit and lies.

At least two of the posters here are members of PETA and have even used the organization's exact wording and phrases posted on its website.

Thus, I'd like to ask a question: Do you staunch supporters of PETA also support terrorism? PETA does, and it has been well-documented by the FBI. Give that some thought when you choose your alliances...

http://www.undueinfluence.com/peta.htm

@RebeccaKerth

What has this to do with the homeless and who are you to tell others who to care for?

Do you not think that those who donate to animal shelters might also conceivably donate to helpless shelters?

How many homeless people in Victoria and its surrounding environs do you see lying in the middle of the road with their intestines spread out nicely on the asphalt?

How many homeless people do you see uncontrollably breeding?

How many animals do you know are able to walk to the nearest shelter for the evening or beg at the nearest traffic stop?

The point is why should humans automatically come first? Because some god assigned you dominion? Because your values place humans above animals?

Who is to argue that a rampant homeless domesticated animal problem is as economically damaging as the homeless problem?

Can you say that all homeless people did not choose to be homeless? Could you ask the dogs and cats the same question?

Both the DOCPAC and Adopt a Pet are charitable organizations relying on caring, humane, donors hardly taking up Government resources.

I don't see a problem in funding solutions for both animal care AND the homeless.

It's what Cheebus would do

Well said, Rebecca.

The city had to condemn Crossroads Youth Shelter a few years ago because of the dilapidated building out by the airport, and you people are complaining when animals have BRAND NEW FACILITIES? Give me a break, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Once all the starving abused and neglected children are fed, and sheltered, then we should be worried about animals. I for one think it is absurd when I see all the money poured into animal welfare here in Victoria. We have only the Salvation Army to help homeless (and thank God for them), and we have Gulf Bend for the mentally ill. However we have Adopt A Pet, O'Connor Adoption Center, the humane society, and the pound just moved out to a new facility in the last several years. It sickens me that people in this city are more concerned with animals than their fellow neighbors, brothers, and sisters. I for one will not be contributing my money to any of these causes, when we still need a youth shelter, and many other HUMAN RIGHTS necessities.

One more thing: You can't have your cake and eat it, too. That same group I cited -- Killing With Kindness -- notes this on its website: "...or given painful lethal injections..."

They then go on to say: " The "Killing With Kindness" campaign demands one U.S. federal law: That all animal species housed in any shelter/pound/animal control facility shall be euthanized...by a...lethal intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital."

Hmmm...didn't they earlier state that lethal injections are "painful"???

Oh, yes, that video is truly unbiased...NOT! Consider the source, please.

The following excert was taken from “Killing With Kindness” and was written by Doug Fakkema. These folks ACTIVELY CAMPAIGN FOR AND PROMOTE lethal injection over carbon monoxide, yet even their own findings reveal facts that can’t be ignored:

“When delivered properly, carbon monoxide gas does not "sear" the lungs or cause conscious choking or gasping. On the contrary, CO from a bottled and pressurized source is breathed in with little sensation (taste or otherwise). Red blood cells have a high attraction for CO. When breathed in, CO immediately binds itself tightly to the red blood cell. Once bound up with CO, the red blood cell cannot carry its usual passenger, oxygen and the result is a rapid reduction of oxygen to the tissues and brain. Hypoxia (reduced oxygen -- do not confuse with suffocation or asphyxia) sets in within seconds and the animal feels sleepy and soon falls asleep, then unconscious then dies.”

And remember, this comes directly from the folks who argue vehemently against gassing and call it archaic and barbaric.

It's just too bad that so many people today can't use logic or reasoning and simply stick to the facts.

Look at this link that "advocate for pets" posted... http://ncche.com/ and make up your own mind. My mind is made up. Injection. (graphic warning)

Dr. Cate.....Shame on you!!! You know what Carbon Monoxide poisoning is like, you went to medical school for pete's sake. I am also in health care and know that your arguments otherwise are ridiculous. My grandmother used to quote a Bible verse that says "God gives us dominion over the animals of the field as he has dominion over man." Her interpretation of this was that we will be treated by the Big Guy Upstairs in a manner similar to how we treat the animals we have been given dominion over. It is bad enough that people are not responsible and that euthanasia is a horrible necessity. It is incomprehensible that we as human beings and especially you as a physician not at least provide the less horrid method of ending these poor animals life.

For those who are so adamant and are simply regurgitating words from an association that's both biased in its stance and lacking in substantive studies , please picture this:

A staff member forcibly holds down an animal while another stabs a needle into its body. The injection, while lethal, is anything but instant, and the animal struggles mightily to break free from its captor. Think there's no distress for the animal? Think again.

Done properly, both methods achieve the desired result -- and for those capable of actual thought and comprehension, the steps involved don't paint a pretty picture for either gassing or the injection.

It's simply a necessary evil.

Nonetheless, don't try and ram illogical rhetoric down people's throats and push an agenda just to be doing so.

Common sense, which is sorely lacking in this thread, needs to replace the heart-on-my-sleeve approach that is lacking in both substance and concrete facts.

One last point: For those who think P.E.T.A., Defenders of Wildlife and H.S.U.S. are godsends and organizations devoted to saving animals, you are dead wrong. Thanks to political posturing and lobbying, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on advertising campaigns, misrepresentation of facts and out-and-out lies, tens of thousands of deer, elk and moose have died. Populations are at all-time lows in many areas, and if you want to take your kids to see elk in Yellowstone, you'd better pack one in your trunk because that herd is all but decimated.

How did it happen? Misinformed activists promoting their emotionally-driven agenda -- much like the one presented here -- were responsible for the re-introduction of the wolf. These same organizations, touting celebrity spokepersons as their clout, spent even more money to sue states like Wyoming, Idaho and Montana trying to take control of the wolf problem through regulated hunting.

Injunctions were rendered, time was wasted -- and even more deer, elk, moose and domestic livestock were slaughtered by rampaging wolf packs, which routinely kill for the sheer pleasure.

So I'll make one last plea: Let logic and common sense prevail.

I was really disappointed in the quality of the reporting in this story. If I'm to believe what I see above a simple swift injection and the animal passes quietly away....sadly that's not how it works many times. Vocalization, "swimming", and evacuation of bowels and bladders are common with IV euthanization. Note: IV....not "injection". Euthanization by injection also, legally, includes injections into the stomach, and, with proper sedation, injection in to the heart. Not quite as palatable huh?

Euthanization by injection has some warts too and somehow this article fails to mention them and as a result comes off as very slanted.

Injection may be instantaneous but it might take half an hour too. Animals have to be sedated (with controlled chemicals...some with street use and sales), handled individually, and restrained to be injected. The Euthanasia Techs are placed at greater risk and experience greater stress by the injection process.

Given the treatment the CO chamber has received in the newspaper it is doubtful that a fair hearing can be had in the community.

Finally, by my view, IV injection is the more preferable means of euthanasia. HOWEVER, if there is to be a transition in the primary euthanasia method then there must be much more done than removing the chamber and getting a bigger supply of 20 gauge needles. IV euthanasia requires TWO individuals to be performed properly and safely and takes much more time and requires much more record-keeping. IV injection is preferable but more expensive.

If the taxpaying public truly prefers IV euthanasia then they MUST recognize that it is a more labor intensive, more time consuming, and has a greater injury risk than the status quo.

In a word it will be more expensive and this has to be acknowledged before any change is implemented.

N45BA, you speak of no one going out to help the homeless people and putting animals before humans. Maybe this is because the animals have no say in their plot in life. I have given money to homeless people here. They did not spend it on meals, they walked straight to the Valero and came out with a 40 oz. beer. They are not starving, they have Christ's Kitchen serving up free meals as well. If it's between me helping out an innocent animal and a bum that is going to take my money and get drunk with it, I'm choosing the animal. I once had a homeless man actually ask for money for beer. At least that one was honest about it. But they won't starve because we have shelters and kitchens to help them. These animals are not responsible for their being dumped on the streets because their owners were too lazy or cheap to get their parents fixed. I understand there are too many to be allowed to roam free, and we must find some way of getting rid of them. All people are saying is that we should do it the most humane way possible. There's no ethical reason they need to suffer before death. So what if it costs a little more? I think ethic treatment over cost is a pretty good trade off for those of us that aren't sociopaths. Having a hard as nails attitude about it because they're just lowly animals and not like us exalted and perfect humans is the very attitude that makes the human race the most destructive thing on the planet. I don't see animals destroying our ozone to drive around in their SUVs and killing off humans for land. We have a responsibility to not abuse our power over them. Frankly you should be happy people are caring about any issue, whether it be war, homelessness, or this. There is always something larger to worry about, that doesn't mean we should stop caring about anything else. Yes let's drop the cats and dogs in a vat of acid for all we care, we need to focus on the WAR and the homeless! We don't have TIME for anything else! Give me a break. All people are doing is asking not to kill these animals in painful ways and you get all hard about it. It doesn't make you a man, it makes you closer to a sociopath if anything. Have fun giving your dollar away to a drunk.

We need to stop gassing of animals. The film speaks for itself. Lethal injection is better.

I would encourage all compassionate and caring people to not respond in any way to negativity or ignorant comments here. These are ridiculous and silly little people, that can not come up with reasoned dialogue and must resort to flaming- not worth your time.

Instead focus on what you can do to bring this situation to your city leaders and advocate for change. As has been posted previously, write letters and let the council and commissioners know. If they recieve no response from you- then they wont think it's important. If it IS important, write those letter, make the phone calls and attend city council meetings (could someone post their schedule?) and the Commissioners court in the morning at ten am. Bring two friends with you that feel the same way. These are primarily elected officials- there to represent YOU. Most councils are receptive once they have all the facts and know the wishes of the citizens.
Please ensure your letters/comments are appropriate and courteous.
If you are silent for fear of reprisal to the animals, what could be worse than what is already happening right now? Perhaps open records requests (FOI) and find out more about what really happens back there if you are unsure? Lots of information can be gleaned from public records.
Please continue to keep this issue alive. Tell people, talk about it, share it over lunches, church dinners and gatherings with friends or at business gatherings. Share this article with the city officials, email it far and wide and DON"T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. KEEP THIS ISSUE ALIVE....
Sheila Smith
Austin
www.shadowcats.net

Gassing animals is inhumane. The animals die a slow and painful death. Victoria needs to get with the 21st Century and STOP this awful archaic practice.

"Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures."

Dalai Lama

Let's focus on the topic at hand: not the war, not prisoners, not the homeless. We have our thoughts on how those should be handled as well. However, we are discussing euthanasia of animals. We are the HUMAN race. Let's be humane and not cause additional suffering on any living creature. It is not our right to inflict pain, but it is our duty to eliminate suffering. Gassing to eliminate any life souce is wrong and inhumane. Period.

When people state "They're just animals", that says alot about the heart of those people. Dogs love unconditionally and give back to the people who love them, more than some adult humans can even imagine.

The inability to care for animals and see them more than a bother to dispose of is an indication of the low level of humanity.

It's not a question of person or animal. It's a question of compassion. Injections are more humane according to veterinarians, so why put any animal through unnecessary pain and suffering? If it was your dog or cat, would you opt for gas or an injection? Why not offer an animal that's going to die anyway the most humane option possible?

...but, they DO chew rats!

If I had to choose between extra cats and extra rats, I would choose extra cats. That's just me. Cats are fluffier and they don't usually chew holes in walls and pipes.

I, along with many others, urge the leaders in Victoria to stop allowing the killing of animals in your care in the most inhumane method currently available. The animals suffer panic, fear and sometimes attack each other in their misery. Surely a modern town such as Victoria can do better -- and it is cheaper to give a single injection to each animal. Please change your protocol.

Gassing these poor animals that should be in their forever home is most inhumane and not legal in many cities. STOP THIS INHUMANE KILLING BY GASSING.

Please go to the shelter and rehome these innocent cats and dogs. Spay and neuter your pets and keep them forever.
If they must be euthanized, at least do it humanely with an injection.

To all who are reading this and wondering what YOU can do, let me offer a few suggestions: 1)Spay/neuter your own pets (even if they rarely go outside). 2)Encourage your acquaintances to do the same. 3)Choose your next pet from one of the local shelters ( they are full to overflowing with beautiful dogs and cats). 4)Encourage your acquaintances to do the same. 5)Send a donation to one of our rescue organizations (Adopt-a-Pet, 8215 Houston Hwy, Victoria, TX 77901 or Dorothy O'Connor Pet Adoption, 135 Progress Dr, Victoria, TX 77905). 6)Encourage your acquaintances to do the same. 6)Let your voices be heard by contacting your city/county officials.
We absolutely can move Victoria to No-Kill, one step at a time.

None of this would be an issue if pet owners were more responsible.
If all male pets were sterilized, we would not be even talking about this issue.
Even breeders should sterilize cats and dogs once the animals are not longer used for breeding.

Our society has not gotten around to demonizing irresponsible pet owners. It is still acceptable to not spend the money to sterilize a pet, but acceptable to let it breed and have unwanted offspring.

Animals first because they can't speak up for themselves and their choices are made for them.

No issue will ever have the unanimous support of every person....but surely most people would prefer that at the very least any shelter animals that are euthanized are treated as humanely as possible.

Yes, we need to do much work to reduce the number of animals that come into the shelter. But please, let's stop gassing them right now!

Not everyone is an animal lover, and that is okay. N45BA has a right to his opinion, even if it disagrees with yours. But, if you feel very strongly about the issue and if you want to see this practice changed, you need to contact each of the County Commissioners and the County Judge, as well as each of the City Council members and the Mayor. If you don't do that, then you have to stop complaining.

Here’s where you’ll find them:

Judge Donald Pozzi
575-4558

Pct. 1 Comm. Kenny Spann Pct. 2 Comm. Kevin Janak
575-7932 575-8711

Pct. 3 Comm. Gary Burns Pct. 4 Comm. W.D. Dierlam
575-5221 578-8212

I did not find emails for the commissioners.

Mayor Will Armstrong
575-1485
warmstrong@victoriatx.org

Dist. 1 Denise Rangel Dist. 2 Gabriel Soliz
578-7859 578-1421
drangel@victoriatx.org gsoliz@victoriatx.org

Dist. 3 Paul Polasek Dist. 4 David Hagan
485-0004 570-8355
ppolasek@victoriatx.org dhagan@victoriatx.org

Dist. 5 Joe Truman Dist. 6 Tom Halepaska
550-2523 575-4715
jtruman@victoriatx.org thalepaska@victoriatx.org

All City Council members receive mail at P. O. Box 1758, Victoria, Texas 77902-1758.

If you do not let them know how you feel about the current practice, they will assume you are okay with it.

The Advocate posting box does not allow for organization apparently. You guys are smart--phone number on the right is for the guy on the right, same for email address, etc.

Since the director of health and human services, Dr. Bain Cate, states that gassing is humane and painless; I would like to suggest Dr. Cate should put his money where his mouth is and allow himself to be gassed to the point of becoming unconscious. Upon his awakening he will then be qualified to talk about how humane gassing is. Dr Cate would have made a good front man for the Nazis

N45BA - speak for yourself on the 'us that bred, raised and then refused to take care of'. Those are the selfish and irresponsible ones that have no worries of themselves being put in a gas chamber.
If the animals cannot be cared for and have to be put down, the least we can do is to be sure it happens as quick and painless as possible.

If studies by Veterinarian's have proven that gassing animals is inhumane, then it is. These people deal with animals and their behavioral changes daily based on varied situations. If they have proven it causes fear, anxiety issues, and stresses animals out to be placed in that gas chamber, then guess what, it does.

Several cities have been educated about these changes being made to make the euthanizing process more humane. Welcome to the list Victoria, because you're about to get schooled.

Does the gas chamber make things easier for those employees? I really don't think so. Those cats, and dogs will howl, constantly roll around and bang their bodies against the changes. Can you see it happening? Maybe if you look in to watch.

Will lethal injection make things easier? I have held countless animals in my arms as they were put to sleep. They all went PEACEFULLY, as I would calmly pet them and whisper into their ear.

Knowing that the cat or dog died peacefully in my arms rather than rolling around beating its body against cold steel makes me sleep better at night.

Wake up Victoria: It's time for a change!

N45BA , the argument is not that the City Animal Shelter needs to stop killing them all together (although that is the case now in many cities that have become No-Kill, such as Texas' own Capitol city Austin, and this is only the beginning). We are arguing that the most humane method should be used to help control unwanted pet population. They are doing the job that they are told to do. We just want to change what they're told they have to perform.

Thankfully N45BA, you are the minority.

Let's focus back to the real issue of the article and what the residents are trying to ban. Yes, the public needs to spay/neuter their pets. Yes, educating the public is key as well.

1) I am disappointed in Renee Wheeler's remarks, it would seem of all people, she would have long ago fought hard for this, regardless of the recent letters or not. (Yeah for her volunteers)
2) Too bad anyone has to read such remarks as N45BA's. What a complete lack of character, compassion and intelligence is conveyed in this response. I suppose he would have been for child labor in the past...well, heck they would have been only children, people...

Please use a humane method for euthanasia! This is banned in many states and is an archaic method. Please do not allow the animals to suffer any longer!!

Someone commented: "These aren't people, they are animals. ANIMALS!!!"

So, does that mean we should be INhumane to them and allow them to suffer????

Gas euthanasia is inhame and reprehensible, and that is why it is BANNED in 16 states. Its also no longer used on people. Carbon monoxide poisoning has been shown to produce nausea, vomiting and pain prior to death.

Death by Injection is almost immediate if done correctly according to veterinarians and anesthesiologists. Gas euthanasia is not.

In addition, cost studies have shown that EBI is cheaper (that means less $$ spent) than gas euthanasia.

The same person who posted these are animals not humans, also posted this ridiculous statement: "If you don't want them using gas then march your butt down there and take every "ANIMAL" that would have been gassed home with you."

For YOUR information, most of us already DO help in one way or another. What have YOU done??

If more people would be responsible pet owners than there would not be a need to euthanize so many dogs/cats for lack of space...

Cate also said. "Please try to put yourself in the place of an animal shelter employee. For the CO chamber, though the result is the same"

Cate - The result is NOT the same, with an injection it is immediate, with gas, they suffer...

Just my 2cents.

N45BA- you are SICK. Why don't you march your big butt down there and WATCH them gas the animals and SEE how horrible it is. It is a SLOW, process that makes them SUFFER. Euthanasia by injection is quick and the most humane way. We are not in the 1950's anymore, why don't you DRAG yourself into this century. Your Heartless...do your homework before you open your mouth....hope you don't have pets or kids.

This is wrong. Gassing is inhumane. For the sake of the animals please stop this practice immediately.

"The pets howl, whimper and sometimes convulse."

If gas euthanasia were not inhumane and reprehensible, it would not be banned in 16 states and we'd still be using it on people. Carbon monoxide poisoning has been shown to produce nausea, vomiting and pain prior to death.

The American Veterinary Medical Association states that the preferred method of euthanaisa is Injection (EBI)

The Association of Shelter Veterinarians states gassing is inhumane.

Death by Injection is almost immediate if done correctly according to veterinarians and anesthesiologists. Gas euthanasia is not.

Cost studies showing EBI is cheaper than gas euthanasia have been published by national humane socities and agencies.

Veterinary protocols should be established by Veterinarians, not MDs.

Please SPAY and Neuter your pets! If you are feeding strays, please have them sterilized also (TNR). Lets all work to reduce the number of animals in our communites so that we are not killing them in ANY fashion. Do your part- SPAY and NEUTER. For low cost spay/neuter clinics, contact your local rescue/shelter organizations. For more on respectul and reasoned advocacy, contact www.shadowcats.net or feralfriend@austin.rr.com

This is great progress! Victoria will finally becoming like almost all cities- humane. If we have to euthanize, we should do it in the most current and humane way- lethal injection. If you're not convinced that is is an awful practice, please visit: http://ncche.com/. Be careful, it is very graphic. Change does not come easy. Do we want to take the "easy" way by gassing? Dr. Cate is NOT a veterinarian and his statements are not informed. All he knows is Victoria's method of gassing and has done no research into other cities ways of euthanizing. He will, of course, support the current method he allows. I'm happy for this article and now is the time for Victorians to let their voices be heard. This article speaks volumes!