Critics seek to cut gas chamber after cat survives

[January 17, 2012]  WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) -- Animal advocates are calling for a Utah animal shelter to shut down its gas chamber after a cat survived being gassed twice.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/wycakV ) advocates favor euthanasia by lethal injection at the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Shelter after the stray cat named Andrea survived two rounds in its gas chamber in October.

Advocates say gas chambers can take up to 30 minutes to end an animal's life, while lethal injection causes unconsciousness within seconds and death within minutes.

Early this month, West Valley City officials said they still plan to use the shelter's gas chamber.

Now, West Valley Councilman Corey Rushton says the gas chamber should be scrapped, and Taylorsville Mayor Russ Wall says he wants Animal Services to investigate complaints about the gas chamber.

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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com/

[Associated Press]

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