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House Passes Small Animal Euthanasia Bill
HB 306 Would Ease Animal Control Burden on Communities

(JUNEAU) - The House today passed legislation that would give animal control authorities the ability to euthanize animals with drugs, thereby giving communities without easy access to veterinarians the ability to humanely end the suffering of dogs, cats or other domestic animals.

Rep. Ken Lancaster (R-Soldotna) introduced House Bill 306 at the request of animal control officials in his district, who told him that Alaska is one of the few states where animal shelters lack the authority to administer drugs acknowledged to be the most humane way to end the life of a severely injured, mortally sick or abandoned animal.

"In Alaska, animal control agencies presently do not have the authority to purchase, possess or use certain drugs for the most humane methods of euthanasia for domestic animals," Lancaster said. "Right now veterinarians have to be called in, or the animals have to be transported to a veterinarian."

Under current law, only licensed veterinarians may prescribe and administer euthanasia drugs, such as pentobarbital. In many areas of the state where veterinarian visits are rare and transporting sick animals is prohibitively expensive, harsher methods of putting down animals are often used.

"Not only would this bill make euthanasia more convenient and humane, but it would also save municipalities a great deal of money," Lancaster said. He noted that the Matanuska-Susitna Borough spends $34,000 per year to have a veterinarian on contract to put down animals. The bill would not preclude veterinarians from continuing to provide the service where warranted and needed.

HB 306 would allow the state Department of Community and Economic Development to issue licenses to administer such drugs, Lancaster said. Licenses would be limited to those who worked for animal control agencies and who passed a euthanasia technician course, approved jointly by the National Animal Control Association, the American Humane Association, and the Humane Society of United States.

HB 306 moves next to the Senate for consideration.

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