After our many successes during 2011's legislative session, THLN is planning on tackling even more animal issues during the 2013 session. Our president, Cile Holloway, posted our goals on our website earlier this month
One of our primary goals for next year's legislative session is to end gas chamber euthanasia in Texas shelters. After polling over 1200 Texas cities, THLN found that about thirty of those cities continue to use gas chambers. While it is unfortunate that any healthy and adoptable animal be euthanized, the use of gas chambers is horribly outdated and inhumane. THLN proposes to ban the use of gas chamber euthanasia in our state in favor of the more humane, safe, and cost-effective euthanasia by injection.
After THLN has worked so hard to improve shelter conditions across our state, the party responsible for enforcing those conditions, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), is not doing its part. Currently, the language in the statute says that the DSHS should enforce the rules, rather than actually requiring them to do so. THLN will work during the next legislative session to amend the language to actually require the enforcement of the health and sterilization of shelter animals, the cleanliness and sterilization of shelter facilities, and the training of shelter staff.
While these two goals are our major focus for the 2013 legislative session, we will also work to make sure that none of the progress we've made to improve animal welfare in Texas will be weakened.
Do you want to help? If you want to join THLN in our crusade to help animals in Texas, there are several things you can do. You can join your local chapter, donate, or sign up for our action alerts. And always, thank you for everything you do to help animals!
