When animals are put to sleep in Ohio, they are most often euthanized with medications administered by a veterinarian.
In some cases, though, dogs and cats have been put down in gas chambers. A Democratic lawmaker has proposed a new bill that would make that practice illegal.
State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus) says most veterinarians use drugs to euthanized animals but he knows of one Ohio county that has put animals down in gas chambers – which can cause animals to suffer before they die.
“Ohio has had a history of using gas chambers for euthanasia,” Leland says. “So without this kind of ban that my legislation would create, there’s always a fear that Ohio could slide back and revert to using this kind of gas chambers and this ban will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The bill, which has yet to be formally introduced, already has bipartisan co-sponsors.
Ohio is one of four states where gas chambers for animal euthanasia are still legal.
