The most inhumane methods of animal euthanasia are now outlawed in Indiana thanks to House Bill 1615, which Governor Holcomb just signed into law.
Approved unanimously in the house, the bill deals with how animal shelters euthanize animals, approving only the use of sodium pentobarbital or similar drugs to painlessly send animals to sleep.
Methods such as gas chambers, freezing, electrocution, and using carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide are now banned; anyone caught killing an animal using electrocution can now be charged with a level 6 felony and face up to two and a half years in prison. The laws apply to all animal control programs, humane societies, or government entities operating animal shelters.
As barbaric as it may seem, archaic euthanasia methods are still used in some shelters in the U.S. Animals killed using gas chambers experience convulsions and muscle spasms as they die a slow and traumatic death. Those who are electrocuted suffer horrifically in the seconds before they die.
The new legislation comes less than a year after an Indiana shelter was accused of freezing kittens to death. Although no charges were filed, the shelter was shut down in late 2018.
The bill also expands and clarifies some definitions of animal cruelty, ensuring more protections for abused animals.
Initially, HB1615 attempted to increase the penalties for abuse or neglect resulting in death from a misdemeanor to a felony, but sadly it was stripped back considerably in order to pass.
“This legislation is not everything I would have liked, but it does take significant steps toward sending a clear message that if you choose to abuse animals, you will pay for it,” said bill author Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville).
We applaud the passage of this bill, but urge Indiana legislators to continue the push to make animal cruelty a felony in the state.
What’s New…
If only every state and country in the world made animal cruelty illegal and punishable by law. Just proves how much more progress humanity has to do, still barbaric and primitive our “modern” world is…not so modern. Some people are sad trophy hunters and pranksters, I feel sorry for them that they hurt animals and are ok with it, they need mental help, the prople that do cruel acts to innocent animals. Ladyfreethinker, keep posting information and spreading awarness and keep the petitions coming!! I sign hundreds and will keep doing so.
This is too painful and should never be allowed.
How can the workers in these so-called ‘shelters’ sleep soundly at night knowing THEY have sentenced these innocent animals to the most cruellest deaths possible. EVERYONE should know that animals placed in gas chambers do NOT die quickly, but they do DIE fighting for their very last breath, they DIE fighting with fear, they DIE urinating and defecating, they DIE crying and howling and they can up to half an hour to die. Shame on these heartless. gutless, soul-less ‘people’ may they suffer nightmares for the rest of their miserable lives and Karma repay them tenfold for the untold abuse, agony, torture and torment that they have inflicted onto ALL the animals that they have needlessly murdered.
I am not even sure if there are any words one could use to wonder what is going on within the minds of those who abuse and torture innocent and loving animals. To say that I lose sleep at night over what is taking place is putting it lightly. I pray these horrible things that happen would be punished to the extreme. Do any of these monsters who do these things to animals even take the time to look into their innocent eyes or to feel their pain and suffering. Knowing things like this is happening should affect all of us to fight for strict punishment to the fullest, and not stop fighting for the lives of these animals. To think that we are walking beside these people is almost unbearable to even think about it..
Yes, cruelty needs to STOP!
inhumane euthanasia must stop!
EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO FIND ALL ANIMALS A HOME. NO CRUEL WAY SHOULD EVER BE USED TO KILL AN ANIMAL. SAVE AND FIND THEM HOMES. SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS AND THERE WON’T BE A NEED FOR SHELTERS NOR KILLING THE ANIMALS.
It’s a start but needs to be more severe.
Great…why were penalties for abuse and neglect resulting in death stripped back? Stop enabling animal cruelty
This is fantastic news.
Please stop this cruelty
This is fantastic news! I had no idea that such barbaric methods were used -WHY!??
Madacrr
inhumane euthanasia must stop!
Animal Abusers Exposed. If You Hurt an Animal I Will Tell The World About You Here.
“Your intuition suggests something isn’t right but you’re not sure what it is. It is not until the aftermath that you can see clearly and realize that true life can be more terrifying than a horror movie, that monsters are real and evil preys on the innocent.”
– unknown
I am no longer accepting things I cannot change, I am changing things I cannot accept!
We are all born with compassion RECLAIM YOURS!
For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beast; for all is vanity.
– Ecclesiastes 3:19
“Man can hardly even recognize the devils of his own creation.”
“We will never know true happiness until we learn compassion for all living things.”
– Dali Lahma
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”
– Abraham Lincoln
“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
“To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime.” (v)
– Romain Rolland, Nobel Prize Literature 1915
“Stand still, close your eyes and listen; in the silence you can hear the cries of pain and low moans of anguish of animals waiting to die… do everything you can even if today it is just one small thing.”
“What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.”
– Chief Seattle
“Until we have the courage to recognize cruelty for what it is…whether its victim is human or animal…we cannot expect things to be much better in this world…We cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in killing we set back the progress of humanity.”
– Rachel Carson
“If only we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion we shall stand at the threshold of a new era in human moral and spiritual evolution – and realize, at last, our most unique quality: humanity.”
– Jane Goodall
“The Greatness of a Nation and its Moral Progress can be Judged by the way its Animals are Treated!”
– Mahatma Gandhi
I feel so sad for the living, breathing, feeling animals that have suffered at the hands of men. I feel such anger and even hatred towards those men who would inflict such pain and suffering on an animal that wants only to love and be loved. My mind cannot comprehend such behavior, such lack of compassion. I wonder what goes on in the mind of such sick people who torture, neglect, abuse and fight animals with no sympathy or compassion for what they are doing. I do know that I feel our country has totally inadequate cruelty, abuse and neglect laws to help protect our animals. Even the states with the toughest laws could make tougher ones.
No animal cruelty law should be less than a major felony. No neglect law should be less than a minor felony, at the least. And people caught fighting animals should be locked up for life.
Firmado!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always wonder how those passionately opposed to abortion view “euthanasia” of lovely, innocent animals for people’s convenience, while people continue allowing dog breeders, etc., to conduct their dirty business as usual. Killing healthy animals for “convenience” is bad enough on its own, to make them suffer while dying is beyond the pale, the worst form of evil stupidity.
Yeah!!! Finally. Now step up Kentucky
The so-called shelters also should be prosecuted for fraud. If a death involves suffering, they’re lying when they call it “euthanasia”. It is far from euthanasia.
Shame hurting animals !