Session: State Capitol, Room 421 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-2693 Toll Free: (800) 463-2693 Fax: (907) 465-3835 Interim: 35477 Suite 101-B Spur Highway Soldotna, AK 99669 Phone: (907) 260-5236 Fax: (907) 260-5238

Sponsor Statement for HB 306
Euthanasia of Domestic Animals

An Act authorizing the Department of Community and Economic Development to issue permits to certain agencies to purchase, possess, and use certain drugs for euthanizing domestic animals.

Currently, Alaska is one of the few states that does not have a law allowing animal shelters to obtain euthanasia drugs directly from pharmaceutical companies. Only veterinarians are currently authorized to purchase these drugs. Many agencies do not have a veterinarian on their staff or even in their community. In order to provide this service many shelters are forced to arrange for the purchase of euthanasia drugs through a licensed veterinarian. This often proves cumbersome and places an extra burden of monitoring and supervision on the veterinarian. The alternative is to have a local veterinarian, if available, perform the euthanasia. This can strain or exhaust government budgets due to the cost of a veterinarian's visit. Policy guidance has been requested to address how these drugs can be legally obtained and used by laypersons working for these agencies.

House Bill 306 will allow qualified agencies the authority to purchase, posses, and administer certain drugs for the euthanasia of animals. This will allow these agencies to perform the most humane method of euthanasia. All employees that will be administering these drugs will be required to have successfully completed a euthanasia technician certification course.

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