Improper euthanasia practices at Montreal pound raise concern
Thursday, April 21, 2011The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) is very concerned about recent reports of improper euthanasia practices at the Berger Blanc animal shelter in Montreal. This shelter, run by a private company which handles animal control for the majority of boroughs in the Montreal area, was the subject of a recent investigative story by a Radio-Canada journalist. Undercover video footage reportedly filmed in the shelter shows animals being handled roughly while being injected improperly with euthanasia drugs.
Every city has shelters where stray, abandoned and surrendered animals are euthanized for various reasons, including poor health, temperament problems and lack of shelter space. When animals’ lives are brought to an end for any reason, we need to ensure that they are euthanized by caring and trained individuals using the most humane method possible.
The CFHS has been researching euthanasia protocols and regulations in various jurisdictions over the past year, and we are exploring the feasibility of developing a national training and certification program for all shelter workers who carry out the difficult task of euthanizing animals. If such a program were established, it could go a long way towards preventing inhumane euthanasia practices such as those reportedly seen at the Berger Blanc.
Ultimately, the goal of the CFHS and of humane societies and SPCAs across Canada is to end the euthanasia of healthy and adoptable animals. This can be achieved by the promotion of responsible pet ownership, spaying and neutering, and companion animal adoption. Considerable time and resources are invested in these educational activities by humane societies and SPCAs—which, unlike for-profit pounds, are charities created for the purpose of protecting animals from suffering.
All shelters that offer animals for adoption, whether they are humane societies, SPCAs or municipal pounds, should spay or neuter animals prior to adoption, or at least include a financial incentive for adopters to spay/neuter. Otherwise, they are not acting as part of the solution to pet overpopulation.
