RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. — Animal advocates from Randolph County and across the Piedmont took their message of change to the Randolph County Commissioners Monday night.

Sandy Tuttle was at the meeting. She hopes county commissioners will stop the Randolph County Animal Shelter from using carbon monoxide gas to euthanize unwanted pets.

“It’s very painful. It’s torture and they shouldn’t be doing it,” she said.

Randolph County Public Health Director MiMi Cooper says the county uses euthanasia by injection and gas.

Carbon monoxide gas is used when the animal could be a danger to shelter employees. Randy Orloff, another animal supporter, says other shelters in North Carolina have found a way to euthanize dangerous animals without using the gas chamber.

“They have learned to do it safely,” he said. “There are long poles they can use to handle feral cats and wild animals and ways they can euthanize without using a gas chamber at all.”

Cooper says carbon monoxide gas is an approved method of euthanasia and will continue to be an option for shelter employees.