IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 208 
Expressing opposition to the use of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, 
nitrous oxide, argon, or other gases to euthanize shelter animals and 
support for State laws that require the use of the more humane eutha-
nasia by injection method. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2013 
Mr. MORAN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing opposition to the use of carbon monoxide, carbon 
dioxide, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, argon, or other gases 
to euthanize shelter animals and support for State laws 
that require the use of the more humane euthanasia 
by injection method. 
Whereas 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 cats and dogs are placed 
into the care of between 4,000 to 6,000 local animal shel-
ters each year in the United States; 
Whereas nearly half of these animals are euthanized each 
year because adoptive homes are not able to be found for 
them; 
Whereas to be considered humane, a euthanasia technique 
must expeditiously cause painless unconsciousness, fol-
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•HRES 208 IH 
lowed by respiratory then cardiac arrest, and ultimately 
death; 
Whereas animals euthanized in gas chambers are often forced 
into confined areas with several other animals, causing 
unnecessary stress and aggressive behavior; 
Whereas the use of gas chambers can take over 30 minutes 
to end an animal’s life and sometimes does not result in 
the death of all the animals inside; 
Whereas the use of gas chambers can cause a loss of con-
sciousness and brain function in an animal only after the 
animal’s vital organs shut down, resulting in prolonged 
suffering and distress; 
Whereas old, pregnant, neonatal, and injured animals are 
often biologically unable to absorb the gas as readily as 
larger or healthier animals, which can prolong the stress 
and trauma they experience before death; 
Whereas highly toxic carbon monoxide, the most common 
chemical used in animal gas chambers, is the leading 
cause of accidental poisoning in the United States, and, 
even at low levels, can result in many long-term effects 
including impaired memory, breathing difficulties, muscle 
weakness, heart irregularities, and brain damage; 
Whereas gas chambers threaten the safety of animal shelter 
workers, causing the death of at least one human and se-
verely injuring several others in recent years; 
Whereas a viable and cost-effective alternative to the use of 
gas chambers exists in the form of euthanasia by injec-
tion using sodium pentobarbital; 
Whereas the use of euthanasia by injection causes animals to 
lose consciousness and brain function before their vital 
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organs shut down, decreasing suffering and resulting in 
rapid clinical death; 
Whereas the use of injectable euthanasia agents is considered 
the most reliable and preferable method of animal eutha-
nasia by the American Humane Association, the Amer-
ican Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal 
Control Association, the Association of Shelter Veterinar-
ians, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty 
to Animals, and the Humane Society of the United 
States; and 
Whereas at least 20 States and the District of Columbia ei-
ther have laws banning the use of gas chambers or 
choose not to use the method to euthanize shelter ani-
mals: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses disapproval of the use of gas 
chambers to euthanize shelter animals; 
(2) supports the enactment of State laws re-
quiring the use of euthanasia by injection with so-
dium pentobarbital as the standard method of eutha-
nasia for all animal shelters, and 
(3) encourages States to allow licensed shelters 
to purchase necessary euthanasia drugs, such as so-
dium pentobarbital, subject to appropriate training 
and certification. 
Æ 
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