I wish I could impeach this mayor! The animal rights groups are trying their best to help and this jerk and his councel refuses! I think he is one sick man who should not deserve to be mayor!
Enoch Mayor Defends Animal Gas Chamber
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
BY THOMAS BURR
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
ENOCH -- An animal protection organization is offering to help this southwest Utah city pay to euthanize its stray pets with a lethal injection instead of using exhaust fumes from a city-owned Dodge pickup.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made the proposal to mayor Patrick Franks in a letter that says the city's current method causes the animal "a prolonged, agonizing death."
For the past year, the city has connected a hose from the exhaust pipe of the pickup to a shed-like structure that becomes a gas chamber for killing dogs and cats that go unclaimed for a week after being picked up.
"This method is excruciating for the animals and we [PETA] would do anything to stop it," said Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA spokeswoman. "What is taking place [in Enoch] is a major concern to us."
PETA, which cites a report from the American Veterinary Medical Association calling the method used by Enoch "unacceptable," says it will make temporary arrangements with an area veterinarian to humanely dispose of the animals if Enoch ceases its current practice.
Nachminovitch said two similar cases are being investigated by the organization, which calls Enoch's method of killing uncommon.
The offer from PETA, the threat of lobbying by the Humane Society of Utah to make the method illegal and a flood of irate calls have not deterred Franks from his position that Enoch's method is humane.
Franks said Tuesday he will present the letter to the City Council today during its regular meeting and hopes the council does not decide to change the current means of killing stray animals.
"I still think we're being humane, and until I see scientific evidence that these [pets] are suffering, then I'm not going to change my mind," Franks said. "I don't think we should change public policy every time someone is upset."
Councilman Norman Grimshaw also defended the city's practice as the simplest and easiest way to deal with the problem of stray animals.
"It's fine how it is," Grimshaw said. "It's too bad these people [PETA] have nothing better to do than worry about what we're doing."
John Fox, chief investigator for the Humane Society of Utah, who first challenged Enoch to change its euthanasia method, said Tuesday that legislation to outlaw Enoch's gas chamber may be the only avenue left.
"I don't see any other alternatives," he said. "We need to take up [Enoch's] challenge. What they are doing is not illegal, but it is immoral and inhumane."
Enoch Council Backs Gassing of Stray Pets
Thursday, April 18, 2002
This gas chamber at the Enoch shelter is used to kill strays.
(Thomas Burr/The Salt Lake Tribune)
ENOCH -- In the face of criticism by the Humane Society of Utah and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Enoch City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to continue using a gas chamber connected to an idling pickup to euthanize stray pets.
The council decided against funding an autopsy of an eradicated dog or placing windows on the cinder-block chamber to see if the pets are suffering, though Mayor Patrick Franks said he would pay for an autopsy out of his own pocket to prove that the method of euthanasia does not burn the lungs of the animals.
"We can't allow any organizations without power over Enoch to tell us what we can do," Franks said.
Enoch, a town of 3,000 just north of Cedar City in southwestern Utah, has been using the chamber to put down unclaimed pets since 2001.
The Humane Society of Utah and PETA say the method is inhumane and unacceptable, and the society has threatened to lobby for a ban on the practice.
Enoch's animal control officer, Jim Mitchell, said the Humane Society has taken aim at Enoch to gain publicity.
Enoch Mayor Defends Animal Gas Chamber
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
BY THOMAS BURR
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
ENOCH -- An animal protection organization is offering to help this southwest Utah city pay to euthanize its stray pets with a lethal injection instead of using exhaust fumes from a city-owned Dodge pickup.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made the proposal to mayor Patrick Franks in a letter that says the city's current method causes the animal "a prolonged, agonizing death."
For the past year, the city has connected a hose from the exhaust pipe of the pickup to a shed-like structure that becomes a gas chamber for killing dogs and cats that go unclaimed for a week after being picked up.
"This method is excruciating for the animals and we [PETA] would do anything to stop it," said Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA spokeswoman. "What is taking place [in Enoch] is a major concern to us."
PETA, which cites a report from the American Veterinary Medical Association calling the method used by Enoch "unacceptable," says it will make temporary arrangements with an area veterinarian to humanely dispose of the animals if Enoch ceases its current practice.
Nachminovitch said two similar cases are being investigated by the organization, which calls Enoch's method of killing uncommon.
The offer from PETA, the threat of lobbying by the Humane Society of Utah to make the method illegal and a flood of irate calls have not deterred Franks from his position that Enoch's method is humane.
Franks said Tuesday he will present the letter to the City Council today during its regular meeting and hopes the council does not decide to change the current means of killing stray animals.
"I still think we're being humane, and until I see scientific evidence that these [pets] are suffering, then I'm not going to change my mind," Franks said. "I don't think we should change public policy every time someone is upset."
Councilman Norman Grimshaw also defended the city's practice as the simplest and easiest way to deal with the problem of stray animals.
"It's fine how it is," Grimshaw said. "It's too bad these people [PETA] have nothing better to do than worry about what we're doing."
John Fox, chief investigator for the Humane Society of Utah, who first challenged Enoch to change its euthanasia method, said Tuesday that legislation to outlaw Enoch's gas chamber may be the only avenue left.
"I don't see any other alternatives," he said. "We need to take up [Enoch's] challenge. What they are doing is not illegal, but it is immoral and inhumane."
Enoch Council Backs Gassing of Stray Pets
Thursday, April 18, 2002
This gas chamber at the Enoch shelter is used to kill strays.
(Thomas Burr/The Salt Lake Tribune)
ENOCH -- In the face of criticism by the Humane Society of Utah and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Enoch City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to continue using a gas chamber connected to an idling pickup to euthanize stray pets.
The council decided against funding an autopsy of an eradicated dog or placing windows on the cinder-block chamber to see if the pets are suffering, though Mayor Patrick Franks said he would pay for an autopsy out of his own pocket to prove that the method of euthanasia does not burn the lungs of the animals.
"We can't allow any organizations without power over Enoch to tell us what we can do," Franks said.
Enoch, a town of 3,000 just north of Cedar City in southwestern Utah, has been using the chamber to put down unclaimed pets since 2001.
The Humane Society of Utah and PETA say the method is inhumane and unacceptable, and the society has threatened to lobby for a ban on the practice.
Enoch's animal control officer, Jim Mitchell, said the Humane Society has taken aim at Enoch to gain publicity.
