pet shop legislation and euthanasia guidelines

[Guest guest]

You can get the American Veterinary Medical Association 2000

" Euthanasia Report " online and download it in a PDF format:

http://www.avma.org/resources/euthanasia.pdf

The " Euthanasia Report " gives specific information about humane and

inhumane methods of killing animals, including drugs as well as gas,

decompression, decapitation, electrocution, and other horrors. It

states clearly what methods cause significant suffering, so it is

quite useful, and is the most authoritative document I know of.

May I, however, caution animal advocates not to fall into

the habit of using the term " euthanasia " to describe something other

than killing for the benefit of the one being killed (because of

irremediable suffering or the clear and present danger that the

individual will experience irremediable and severe suffering)?

Killing animals who are doing well just as they are is not

" euthanasia, " no matter how much of a nuisance they may be to human

beings. This is " culling, " " extermination, " or " population control

killing, " but not euthanasia. I think it is important that we make

the distinction, and also that we point out the difference (as best

we can) when public officials use the word " euthanasia " to mask what

they are really doing.

The Hong Kong rules for pet shops may be as good as you can

get for now. Someone else may know of other pertinent legislation

applying to the regulation of pet shops, but in the U.S., the pet

industry can get away with just about anything except for killing

animals inhumanely (if they are caught) or selling sick animals. I

think it is probably better for the animals if the pet shop is in a

residential area, because they people will be able to see what is

going on.

It is generally agreed by " responsible " breeders of dogs and

cats that puppies and kittens should be at least six weeks old and

fully weaned before they are separated from their mothers.

 

 

> " yitze ling " <yitzeling

>Mailing-List: list aapn ; contact aapn-owner

>Delivered-mailing list aapn

>Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:48:43 +0000

> can anyone advise

>aapn

>

>Dear Friends of aapn and Kim Bartlett

>

>Can anyone let me know the guidelines for pet shops, to include cage size

>for dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, birds and whether exotics are allowed to

>be sold in pet shops. I have got the guidelines from the Agriculture,

>Fisheries and Conservation Department HK but no size of cages stated. Also

>what is the best age for puppies and kittens to be sold. Any other

>guidelines pertaining to backyard breeders and breeders will be appreciated.

> Are pet shops allowed in residential areas? Normally if you are unlucky

>you will have a pet shop right next door to you since Malaysians live in

>terrace houses and this is a nuisance with noise. But without legislation

>the Council cannot act against the pet shop owner. Any recommended distance

>for location of pet shops away from residential areas or homes?

>

>The Prai Municipal Council (the mainland across Penang in Malaysia) is in

>the process of formulating rules for pet shops and they need help from

>Friends of the Earth Malaysia. I am turning to you, wonderful people, for

>assistance. The Council has lately embarked on a trap, release and neuter

>programme but with the increasing number of cats dumped in the area, they

>have decided to kill all cats that are caught. Any guidelines with regard

>to killing by euthanasia.

>

>Thank you

>Yitze

>Friends of the Earth Malaysia

 

--

Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

Postal mailing address: P.O. Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 U.S.A.

CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS IS: <ANPEOPLE

Website: http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/ with French and Spanish

language subsections.