Owner Intended Euthanasia Services
Tipton County Animal Shelter
SUmmer 2023 -
182 Pet Euthanasized  

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Owner Requested Euthanasia - It is our belief that all Pets regardless of owner's financial status should have a humane and peaceful death.  If your pet is in need of euthansia services contact your local aniaml shelter. Cost starts at $40 and increases by weight.  Appointments can be scheduled for the Munford Clinic or for an additional cost we can come to your home.  Our team consist of three veterinarians, two licensed vteerinary technicians and two licensed euthanasia technicians that are compassionate and trained to help you through a difficult time. 

History of Euthanasia by Injection

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Over the past several years, animal shelters have transitioned through a philosophical change, initially being a facility that euthanized a substantial portion of animals to one focusing on a live outcome for the animals. This transition has occurred nationwide, resulting from the significant shelter "standard of care" guideline from "The Association of Shelter Veterinarians" and the "American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" (ASPCA). The "Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters" focuses on the "The Five Freedoms for Animal Welfare," created in 1965 in the United Kingdom (Association of Shelter Veterinarians).

The word euthanasia has its origin in the Greek language and means "good death." The term's origin dates to 121 AD and combines the root words "Eu," meaning good, and "Thanatos," meaning death (Merriam-Webster). Euthanasia is the killing or permitting the death of a terminally ill or hopelessly injured individual or animal using a humane, painless method. The numbers of euthanasia of cats and dogs remain high in the United States, but numbers have declined since 1970 (“Pet Statistics, ASPCA”). Animal shelters are not required to keep and report data about the euthanasia of shelter animals, so the exact number of animals euthanatized is hard to determine (“Shelter Animals Count - the National Database Project”). In his book, the Lives of the Caesars, Suetonius, a Roman historian, is attributed to the word's first use, stating their goal when death was imminent was to achieve "euthanasia," or gentle death or death not associated with pain or suffering (Dailami).

Animal welfare issues are no longer socially invisible, and greater attention is being devoted to understanding the moral significance of animal experiences and considering animal welfare. During the last fifty years, efforts to ensure the humane treatment of animals have evolved. This document serves as a blueprint of where we have come from and how we have arrived at our present ideas of what constitutes a “good death” while reflecting on the past of euthanasia in veterinary medicine and examining what we are doing today as a roadmap to improve our future. Historically, a blow to the head was a means of causing painless death by causing a loss of consciousness. In the early 1800s, the mass production of affordable firearms made a gunshot to the brain a painless death (Cholbi); however, neither a blow to the head nor a gunshot to the brain could be described as peaceful. Historically, injectable medications were unavailable, forcing veterinarians and shelter staff to use any quick and affordable method. In the euthanasia process, being humane was given little thought when dealing with animals.

In 1963 the AVMA evaluated methods of euthanasia to create a guideline on euthanasia for veterinarians. The AVMA guidelines appear to be the first recognition of the importance of euthanasia in the veterinary profession.
The first guidelines took a firm stance on techniques such as using strychnine or hydrocyanic acid to poison animals, inhalant gases such as ether and chloroform, and using truck exhaust to poison with carbon monoxide (Cholbi). Since the discovery and availability of barbiturates such as pentobarbital, euthanasia by injection is our primary form of euthanasia in the veterinary field (“EUTHANASIA REFERENCE MANUAL the Humane Society of the United States”). The AVMA guidelines deemed the use of the intracardiac method unacceptable for conscious animals, and it was made mandatory for the pet to be unconscious before intracardiac drugs could be given (Leary and Johnson). Today's humane euthanasia procedures focus on using pre- euthanasia drugs that help to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress when euthanizing animals (EUTHANASIA REFERENCE MANUAL the Humane Society of the United States”).

Issues such as the euthanasia of cats and dogs have gained global attention. More emphasis is being placed on the significance of the animal's euthanasia experience, not just the outcome. The evolution of modern medicine has provided a safer and more humane method of euthanasia of animals in the United States, focusing on the concern for the welfare and the live outcome of shelter animals.

The Tipton County Animal Shelter Mission Statement

The mission of the Tipton County Animal Shelter is “To protect the human public from risks posed by animals and protecting animals from abuse, pain, and suffering.” The Tipton County Animal Shelter is committed to reducing animal euthanasia and finding homes for unwanted animals through adoption and transport to rescue partners. While recognizing the importance of finding animal homes through adoption and rescue partners, the shelter recognizes that not all animals will be adoptable. For the safety of the public and the quality of life for the animals, euthanasia is an option only to be made after all other options have failed. The shelter does its best to treat all animals in the shelter. Sometimes, euthanasia is the most compassionate and responsible course for the animal. In the case of suffering or poor quality of life, euthanasia may be suggested. The public will not be allowed in the euthanasia room unless it is owner- surrendered euthanasia. Then owners will be allowed in the room only to comfort the animal as the pre-euthanasia drugs take effect.

Feral and community cats are not euthanized unless they are sick or injured. All efforts are made to return the cats to their original communities or feral colonies or find a suitable outdoor home.

Feral or community cats are not tested for Feline Leukemia of FIV. Testing for Feline Leukemia and FIV may be considered if the animal displays apparent disease symptoms. If a cat tests

positive for feline leukemia, it will be euthanized. FIV Positive cats will be examined, and depending on their health, they may be spayed/neutered and released or euthanatized.

The Tipton County Animal Shelter is an open-admission shelter (HSUS,2023). We accept animals regardless of health, age, breed, or temperament. We continually strive to end animal overpopulation and homelessness. With limited resources, we strive to do the greatest good to

help the most significant number of animals. The shelter functions as “animal control” for Tipton County and is funded by tax dollars and governed by a board of elected commissioners. “Friends of the Tipton County Animal Shelter,” a 501c3 organization, assists the shelter with spay/neuter, medical, and transport costs (Riley, 2023). The shelter has a Director, an Operations Manager, an Office Manager, two Animal Control officers, three kennel workers, one Certified Euthanasia technician, and three contract veterinarians. (Reed, 2023). The contract veterinarians perform spay-neuter surgeries, treat medical cases, and perform euthanasia. The contract veterinarians

work from clinics in our local high school veterinary science programs. The shelter animal control officer investigates the county's animal abuse, neglect, bites, and other animal control issues, picks up stray animals, and accepts owner-surrender pets or needy animals. The maximum capacity for the shelter is 45 dogs and 35 cats (Riley, 2023). The Animal Control Officers are deputies with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Department. All shelter employees report to the County Public Works Director, who reports to the County Commission (Reed, 2023). The

shelter is a “No-Kill” shelter (Bestfriends, 2025) with over a 90% Save Rate. The shelter offers a TNR program for feral cats and a community cat program for unowned community cats to be spayed/neutered and released back into their communities or colonies. The shelter maintains a

small feral colony (about 20 cats) on the premises for surrendered ferals that need placement.

The Tipton County Animal Shelter is committed to reducing animal euthanasia. This goal

reflects our mission to provide humane care for all the animals under our care. When euthanasia is performed, it is done with respect and care by a highly trained, compassionate staff. Our shelter chooses EBI with pentobarbital as the primary means of euthanasia. Pre-euthanasia medications reduce the fear, anxiety, and stress of all animals being euthanized when possible.

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