A turf war between two city of Pittsburgh bureaus has officials planning the relocation of the police auto theft unit.

The eight-person unit occupies a Strip District building that also includes a garage used since January by the Animal Control Bureau as a site for euthanization of wild animals.

Some of the police employees located there petitioned top brass to have that function moved. Police staff would not talk about their concerns yesterday, nor present the petition.

Police submitted to command staff a recording by Lincoln Place-based commercial artist Sandy Levandosky of animals screaming prior to death. Ms. Levandosky, a friend of some of the police stationed there, said "it goes on for seven to 10 minutes at a time."

Gerald Akrie, freshly minted supervisor of the Animal Control Bureau but a longtime officer of the unit, said that's an exaggeration. He said the process usually takes three minutes, and it was crafted by a veterinarian who also contributed to the training the 11 animal control officers got.

The raccoons, skunks and groundhogs euthanized at the garage are stuck in a back leg with a needle that delivers a sedative, he said. When that takes effect, the animal is injected with the euthanizing agent, which works in around 90 seconds.

"Animals do make noises," said Mr. Akrie. Raccoons are particularly loud, he said.

The police engaged in "a turf war," he said. They wanted the garage space, which was a radio shop before the euthanization function was moved there.

Instead, the police will be moved, either to a former zone station in the East End or to a Public Works Department building on Second Avenue, in the Bluff neighborhood, said mayoral spokeswoman Joanna Doven.

The city previously had the Larimer-based Animal Rescue League euthanize animals, but that shelter didn't want to continue handling wild creatures. The league still handles the cats, dogs and other domestic animals brought in by the Animal Control Bureau.