NY A.999B-- Humane Euthanasia Sponsor: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Senator Suzi Oppenheimer

ASPCA Position:Support Action Needed: None at this time

Update, October 22, 2009:

Thank you, New Yorkers, for your fast response to our request to phone Governor Paterson and thank him for signing the humane euthanasia bill into law, The governor's office has heard our message of thanks, and no futher calls are needed at this time. An especially challenging political climate in the New York State Legislature has slowed the progress of a variety of pro-animal welfare bills this year. However, hard work by legislators, the ASPCA and animal advocates like you brought the humane euthanasia bill. A 999B over the finish line--- and it was recently signed into law by Governor Paterson

The new Law will:

Prohibit the gassing of stray, homeless,abandoned, or improperly cared for animals require euthanasia by injection(EBI) of such animals, and that EBI be performed by a certified euthanasia technician, licensed veterinary technicien, or licensed verterinarian Prohibit intracardiac euthanasia---an injection right in the heart, which is very painful--on unsedated animals who are under the care of a shelter and authorize only veterinarians to perform intracardiac euthanasia on unsedated lost, stray, homeless, abandon, or improperly cared for animals provided it is the most humane option and the veterinarian documents the event and rationale

And this fall, New York State finally passed its Humane Euthanasia bill (A. 999B) for stray and shelter animals.
Effective next October, the new law bans the euthanasia of these animals by gassing, requiring that they instead be
humanely euthanized via lethal injection by a certified euthanasia technician,
licensed veterinary technician, or licensed veterinarian. It also prohibits intracardiac euthanasia a painful injection right into the heart on unsedated shelter animals.