April 3, 2002--

A method of killing dogs and cats in a small Southern Utah town is drawing fire from the Humane Society.

GENE BAIERSCHMIDT/HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH: "BECAUSE THE GAS IS SO HOT, THEIR LUNGS ARE ACTUALLY SEARED. AND BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PARTICULATES IN THE GASES, THEY CHOKE."

The Humane Society describes the animal deaths as "excruciating torture". But city leaders in Enoch say they can show it's quick, efficient, and humane for cats and dogs that have to be killed.

News Specialist John Hollenhorst has the story from Iron County.

When Enoch's animal control officer rounds up stray dogs and cats, he takes them to the city pound. It's empty now. But it handles 300 animals a year.

VOICE OF GAYLEN MATHESON / CITY MANAGER: "WE DO GIVE THEM 5 DAYS TO BE REDEEMED."

Unclaimed animals are taken to this euthanasia chamber.

City officials demonstrated. They run a hose to the exhaust pipe of a city truck.

As the engine idles, the animals die. A quick, cheap humane death, city leaders say. Humane Society officials call it aggravated cruelty and torture.

GENE BAIERSCHMIDT / HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH: "THIS CAUSES A VERY AGONIZING DEATH FOR THE ANIMAL. THE GAS IS EXTREMELY HEATED AND CONTAINS PARTICULATES. SO THAT THE ANIMALS EXPERIENCE EXTREME PHYSICAL PAIN AND ALSO INTENSE STRESS."

PATRICK FRANKS / MAYOR OF ENOCH: "WE BELIEVE THEY REALLY ARE NOT SUFFERING, THAT THEIR LUNGS ARE NOT BEING BURNED."

JOHN HOLLENHORST REPORTING: "THE EXHAUST HAS BEEN RUNNING NOW FOR MORE THAN 4 MINUTES. AND THE HOSE IS ONLY SLIGHTLY WARM. OFFICIALS HERE SAY, BY NOW, THE ANIMALS WOULD BE DEAD."

PATRICK FRANKS / MAYOR OF ENOCH: "THEY LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN ABOUT 45 SECONDS AND ARE ACTUALLY DEAD WITHIN 3 TO 5 MINUTES."

GENE BAIERSCHMIDT / HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH: "THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAS STATED IN THEIR REPORT ON EUTHANASIA THAT THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE METHOD."

But city leaders say, when doors are opened there are no scratch marks or other indications of fearful, struggling animals.

They claim other methods, such as lethal injection or bottled gas, would be too costly and unsafe, because dangerous poisons would have to be stored and handled only by certified technicians.

GAYLEN MATHESON / ENOCH CITY MANAGER: "WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN PRACTICALLY DO TO BE HUMANE, AND WE THINK WE ARE BEING HUMANE."

GENE BAIERSCHMIDT / HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH: "YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING CRUEL TO ANIMALS, FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN THAT MUCH INTO ACCOUNT."

The Human Society believes the practice is already illegal, under general cruelty laws. But they may ask the legislature to specifically ban the practice. John Hollenhorst, Eyewitness News, Enoch.

After the Humane Society objected the Enoch City Council discussed the issue and refused to change the procedure.