HB 551 Summary

• Prohibits animal shelters from using gas chambers (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or other nonanesthetic inhalants) to euthanize animals, except temporarily if the state veterinary medical licensing board declares a shortage of approved lethal injection substances.

• Requires animal shelter employees performing lethal injection euthanasia to use only combination drugs containing pentobarbital and noncontrolled substances, or other substances approved by the state veterinary medical licensing board and state board of pharmacy.

• Mandates that animal shelter employees performing euthanasia by lethal injection complete a state-approved euthanasia technician certification course of at least 16 hours covering pharmacology, federal/state laws, and stress management.

• Establishes that animal shelters must obtain a limited license from the state board of pharmacy to purchase and administer euthanasia drugs, with distributions restricted to the originating wholesale distributor.

• Specifies approved methods for lethal injection administration in order of preference: intravenous, intraperitoneal, intracardial (only on sedated/unconscious animals), or oral administration.