Berrien County To Eliminate Gas Chamber At Animal Control Shelter

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Berrien County will no longer use poison gas as a method of euthanizing animals at its shelter. It was a packed house Thursday as the board of commissioners voted unanimously to eliminate the gas chamber at the animal control facility in Berrien Springs within 90 days, and also not have one at the new facility about to be built in Benton Township. Commissioner Jeanette Leahey says the lethal injections they’ll be switching to are more humane for the animals and safe for the staff.

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Several people spoke out in favor of dropping the carbon monoxide chamber at Thursday’s meeting, including the head of the Humane Society in Michigan, who noted that Berrien is one of just two counties in the state still using gas for euthanasia. The board is also currently in the process of updating the county’s animal control policy, which is over 20 years old.