answer:Don’t blame the pound for the fact that people are not responsible owners. What they do is necessitated by the way our society treats pets as disposable items. While the folks who work there must find a way to disassociate themselves from the animals to retain their sanity, don’t mistake it for not caring about the animals. No one works at the pound for the money, glamor or prestige – they’re there because they care about the animals. Specifics are controlled by county and state regulations. All methods used are proscribed as “humane” by the American Veterinary Medical Association. I believe gassing is still legal but it has been eliminated by the majority of facilities. In most cases, an intravenous injection of euthanasia solution (pentobarbital) is injected – essentially, a massive overdose of an anesthetic. With proper dosing and transmission, death occurs in less than 3 seconds. A veterinarian must certify that the animal is deceased and then the body is disposed of – usually cremation. Often, as a security measure, an additional dose of euthanasia solution is injected directly into the heart through the chest wall.