Daniel the dog survives gas chamber, gets new home

On October 3, 18 dogs were put into a gas chamber at a shelter in Florence, Alabama. When the gassing was over, one 20-pound beagle mix walked out, tail wagging.

Think of it as a Shadrack, Meschach and Abednago moment.

It’s not unheard of for a dog to survive the gas chamber, but it isn’t common, either. And when it happens, the dog is often given a reprieve. In this case, the dog, now named Daniel, was sent to Eleventh  Hour rescue in New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Star Ledger, Scott Messinger, a volunteer with the group Pilots N Paws, flew Daniel, along with some other dogs headed for rescues in the Northeast, to meet with his foster mom, Jill Pavik.

And this week comes the news that Daniel has a forever home with the Dwyer family in Nutley, NJ.

Not only did Daniel escape death, he’s become the poster child for animal welfare groups fighting to end the use of the gas chamber as a form of euthanasia.

The use of the gas chamber is slated to become illegal in Alabama next year, thanks to “Beckham’s Bill”, a named for a dog who had narrowly escaped death in a Cullman County, AL gas chamber.

According to a story in the Star-Ledger:

The American Veterinary Medical Association, whose guidelines on euthanasia are set to be updated soon, says carbon monoxide is heavier than air so some animals could raise their heads above it. The group says the chambers are acceptable for putting down dogs.

If a dog has to be put down, a more humane method is lethal injection. “If they have to be, then we want them to have a good death, without struggle,” said Patricia Olson, the American Humane Association’s chief veterinary adviser, in the article.

Fortunately, Daniel won’t have to worry about that. He not only survived the gas chamber, but survived it with no after affects. He’s healthy and happy and ready to start his new life.

You can learn more about Eleventh Hour rescue on their website.

You can learn more about Pilots and Paws on their website.