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SALT LAKE CITY — A yearslong battle to ban gas chamber deaths in animal shelters has nearly ended in Utah.
"It's been such a monumental thing for us to finally get this passed," said Sundays Hunt, the Utah director for the Humane Society of the United States. Hunt first started working on banning gas chambers in 2013 and has been pushing legislation to get passed every year since then.
SB108 regulates animal shelters to only allow "humane" methods of euthanasia for cats and dogs. The bill does not prohibit gas chambers from being used to kill other types of animals that may be housed in shelters.
Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, and Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, sponsored the bill this year and met with stakeholders involved to get the bill in a position for it to be passed. The bill has had similar language over the years but was updated this year with additions and clarifications from the stakeholders to better govern how municipal animal shelters can euthanize animals.
Changes this year specified additional drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously on the third substitution but received some opposition in the House — with Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise, joking during floor debate in February about how his favorite pastime has been to kill this bill over the years.
"As much as I would like to kill this bill again, I can't because they fixed it. ... It finally, finally, is an OK bill," Snider said. He urged his colleagues to support the bill.
The bill passed the House by a 61-9 vote and is expected to be signed by the governor.
Decompression chambers, electric shock and gas chambers have been routinely used in the past at animal shelters. Injection of a lethal dose of barbiturate is considered the most humane method because it's a quick, painless and stress-free end for the animal, Hunt said.
"The Humane Society of the United States has been working to shut the doors on the inhumane method of using gas chambers within the shelter setting," Hunt said. "Because we feel like when euthanasia has to be done, we are making sure and wanting it to be done as humanely as possible."
When Hunt first started advocating against gas chambers, there were 11 chambers active in the state. Over the years, every chamber that has been closed marked a win for the animals, but having an official statewide ban was always the goal, she said.
As of last year, just two shelters still used gas chambers, the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter in Lindon and South Utah Valley Animal Shelter in Spanish Fork.
"It's just thrilling, exciting to finally know that moving forward, every animal in the state of Utah that has to be euthanized for whatever reason, will be euthanized in the most humane, compassionate way possible," Hunt said.
Utah is one of the last three states in the nation to place a ban on gas chambers, something Hunt says is a "scar on our state." She says she is grateful that Utah is now moving forward to respect all animals in the shelter who deserve "humane compassion" when there's a need for euthanasia.
Hunt said having the sponsors on this legislation and outspoken actress Katherine Heigl help her fight "the battle" and "champion this through," despite some controversy against the bill, "has just meant everything because it wouldn't happen without their voice."
Heigl, a Utah native, spoke in support of the bill in an op-ed published in a national magazine last year, and during a news conference to support this year's bill at the state Capitol.
"It can take up to 20 to 30 minutes for the animal to die," Heigl said at the conference, adding that the animals "fight and claw, and fight with each other to try and get out. It's painful."
McKell and Lisonbee don't normally focus on issues like this one, Hunt said. Having them taking on these issues "speaks volumes to their colleagues" and was instrumental in getting the bill passed.
Hunt said the signing of the bill has not been planned yet, but she is working on finding a time that works for both the governor and the Heigl family. If signed, the bill would go into effect Oct. 1.
