Euthanasia to reptiles inhumane

When a reptile is confiscated from its owner for either permit or living space violations by the local branch of the Illinois State Fish and Wildlife Service, more often than not the animal is euthanized. The euthanasia procedures employed are both inhumane and unnecessary, causing a generally unnecessary and also extremely painful death.

The method they use to euthanize reptiles is euthanasia by freezing the animal until death. This was thought to slow down the animal's metabolism and, therefore, be painless. This, however, is incorrect. Veterinarian and biologist research shows that freezing is a very painful way for reptiles to die as they are able to feel all of their soft tissue freezing and hardening. There are also many qualified individuals who have expressed repeated interest in taking the animals, who many define as less desirable due to unexceptional species, to prevent their euthanasia. Their requests however, fall on deaf ears.

In the event of a rare, threatened, or local species, Fish and Wildlife may try to place the animal with a local zoo or organization with which they have a personal relationship. Sadly, more often than not this is not successful and the animal is euthanized. Any animals not rare, threatened or local will be euthanized immediately after confiscation. That is due directly to Fish and Wildlife policy to only place an animal with a person or group with which they have a personal relationship.

By denying the placement of some rare and threatened species and all of the less desirable animals, they are condemning the animals to a painful and unnecessary death. These processes must be stopped.

Sara Senneke

Wayne