Black cat beats the gas chamber — twice
When her number was up — that number being 30 days — a stray black cat in the Salt Lake City area that went unadopted was placed in the gas chamber at West Valley City Animal Shelter.
Officials say the machine was working just fine, and pumped in the carbon monoxide like it was supposed to.
But when the cat, named Andrea, was removed, she still showed some signs of life.
So they put her in again.
After the second gassing, they checked for vital signs, pronounced her dead, put her in a plastic bag, and put that in a cooler.
But Andrea came back again.
“For whatever reason as time went on the cat came back to life,” said Aaron Crim, the shelter’s director of public relations.
The shelter workers decided not to try a third time. “It was just one of those things where they thought this cat obviously really wants to live,” Crim said. “Let’s give it a chance to find a permanent home.”
Andrea was cleaned up and taken home by Janita Coombs, a volunteer with the Community Animal Welfare Society
“She’s pretty tough, obviously,” Coombs told the Salt Lake Tribune. “She’s definitely got some will to live.”
Coombs is keeping the cat at her home until plans are finalized for a permanent adoption.
“When we first got her, she had some difficulty walking,” said Coombs. “When they found her hypothermic in the freezer she had vomited and defecated on herself, but she has since seemed to recover quite well … If you just look at her she looks perfectly healthy.”
No More Homeless Pets in Utah says about 30,000 animals were euthanized in the state in 2010; nearly 25,000 were adopted.
(Photo by Djamila Grossman / Salt Lake Tribune)
Posted by jwoestendiek October 17th, 2011 under Muttsblog.
Tags: andrea, animal shelter, animals, carbon monoxide, cats, cheated, death, euthanasia, euthanized, gas, janita coombs, kill, lives, pets, salt lake city, shelters, stray, survives, twice, utah, west valley city
Comments
Comment from Vicky
Time October 17, 2011 at 7:58 pm
I don’t think this story is uplifting I think it’s disgusting. This poor cat didn’t die the first time so they just chucked it in again? Then u put it in the freezer in plastic bag? U DISGUST ME WEST VALLEY CITY ANIMAL SHELTER. U are just oxygen thief’s and don’t deserve to be in the company of these beautiful animals!!!!!!!
Comment from pip
Time October 17, 2011 at 9:33 pm
IMO people who take their animals to shelters, don’t get their pets spayed or neutered , or breed animals, are also a special breed of person that’s even worse than the person who actually puts the animals in the gas chamber.
Comment from kitcat
Time October 17, 2011 at 10:01 pm
One time is bad but to try 3 times….that’s taking it too far!!!!
Comment from Fiona
Time October 17, 2011 at 10:34 pm
The look on that poor cat’s face says “You tried to kill me”. Shame I live in the UK or I would adopt her myself. Sorry but people who work at these shelters and do this to these trusting animals are sub-human pondlife. You should all hang your heads in shame but sooner or later, Karma will get you.
Comment from Alysia
Time October 18, 2011 at 12:58 am
http://wh.gov/4JM < please go here to stop this forever! Need about 1800 more signatures please share!
Comment from Anonymous
Time October 18, 2011 at 9:48 am
disgusting people
Comment from Amber
Time October 19, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Animals are euthanised. It happens. I’m surprised and pleased they didn’t just chuck her in again, or bury her alive in a landfill without trying a third time. They tried once, she didn’t die, maybe they thought she just didn’t get enough gas, so they tried again. She appeared dead, they stored her as per usualy. When she was no longer appearing dead, they took initiative and restored her health.
I’m more alarmed by the zombie-cat herself. I hope she gets a good home… Where they can control her inevitably brain-eating ways.
Comment from smoketoomuch
Time October 24, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Is it just me, or is the term “shelter” a misnomer in the case of an organization that practices euthanasia? perhaps they should be called “Animal Disposal units” or something else that doesn’t conceal their true purpose. To kill something is not the same as sheltering that thing.
Comment from ashley
Time October 26, 2011 at 3:45 pm
i think is not fair that they have to kill so many animals i know its called a shelter so they should be saving animals not trying to kill them
Comment from ashley
Time October 26, 2011 at 3:47 pm
and no would know how much animals r dying if it wasnt for andrea so thank u for letting people know how many animals r dying in the animal shelter
Comment from smoketoomuch
Time October 17, 2011 at 1:47 pm
It takes a special breed of person to put an innocent animal in a gas chamber . I certainly couldn’t do it and sleep at night.