UTAH’S CATS & DOGS FARE WELL DURING 2010 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

progress for Utah’s cats and dogs

2010 proved to be a year of tremendous progress for Utah’s cats and dogs thanks to bills passed by lawmakers during the recent legislative session. Two of three bills aimed at protecting our state’s companion animals were passed and will soon become law. The Humane Society of Utah supported all three pieces of legislation, encouraging its membership to follow suit, and was directly involved with the passage of one bill in particular. These new laws, and what they will do to improve the lives of Utah’s dogs and cats, are outlined below:

1. SB 218, “Engine Coolant Bittering Agent.” sponsored by Senate President Michael G. Waddoups and Representative John G. Mathis. As of January 1, 2011 all antifreeze sold in Utah must contain the bittering agent denatonium benzoate.

HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt testified before the Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committee on behalf of the bill, pointing out antifreeze currently has a sweet taste attractive to both pets & children. Baierschmidt went on to emphasize an estimated 10,000 companion animals and 1,400 children are poisoned by antifreeze each year in the United States. Small doses are most often lethal to animals as well as humans. Changing the palatability of engine coolant is a simple solution to this serious problem. SB 218 makes Utah the 9th state in the country to enact legislation addressing this issue, potentially saving hundreds if not thousands of lives in our state over the years to come.

2. HB 107, “Animal Shelter Amendments,” sponsored by Rep. Jennifer M. Seelig and Senator Curtis S. Bramble. This bill changes the wording of Utah’s pound seizure law, giving publicly funded animal shelters the option of not turning over animals to research laboratories. “While this doesn’t eliminate pound seizure,” says HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt, “...it is a huge step forward!” Government run facilities to hold animals for at least five (5) days and take all reasonable measures to locate owners before releasing animals for lab research. It also allows pet owners turning their animals in to a shelter to sign a waiver preventing the pet from being turned over for medical research. The Humane Society has never been subject to Utah’s mandatory pound seizure law since the facility is a privately funded shelter, and has never given up an animal for research.

Unfortunately, HB 185, “Animal Euthanasia Standards,” sponsored by Rep. F. Jay Seegmiller and Senator Patricia W. Jones did not pass during the 2010 legislative session. The Humane Society of Utah strongly supported HB 185 as it would have established minimum standards regarding this procedure. Currently, there are no standards whatsoever in the Utah State Code dealing with euthanizing companion animals.

The bill, which HSU anticipates will be re-introduced next year during the 2011 legislative session would require shelters to euthanize through the use of lethal injection or a carbon monoxide chamber. If carbon monoxide is used, the shelter would have to utilize commercially bottled carbon monoxide and place only one animal in the chamber at any given time. The Humane Society holds firm to the philosophy that lethal injection should be used to euthanize animals (a method preferred and recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association), HSU will once again advocate this position next year. However, our organization also recognizes at this time it is not entirely feasible for all shelters in the state to use this method. The Humane Society takes the position that it is preferable to have some standards and guidelines in the Utah State Code, than none at all...a situation which will now continue for at least another year.

Overall, perspective gained from history tells us 2010 is a very encouraging year for cats, dogs and the people who care about their well being. The Humane Society of Utah would like to express it’s appreciation to the state legislature for the diligent work accomplished during this session on these important bills. HSU extends special thanks to the bills' sponsors and to all those concerned citizens whose support improved the lives of Utah’s pets.