Thanks for forwarding this link Greg!
http://animalsclubfreedom.typepad.com/animals-club--freedom-national-org-inc-non-profit/2009/11/euthanasia-is-unethical-for-dogs-or-cats-as-a-socialized-health-care-solution.html
OR http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/17193
By Dean A. Ayers
Lead Investigative Reporter
NationalDogPress ©
24 Nov. 09
A few excerpts:
"At one time a long time ago, I would have said pet euthanasia was ethical for animals that could not be saved. After all, who wants to watch an animal suffer? None of us do, and so we take our younger and older pets to a doctor who shaves their leg, inserts an IV and injects poison in a shot injection, or worse, in secret, they hold the dog down and stab a long needle into the dog's heart while the dog is yelping in severe pain and trauma from the heart injection pain of the euthanasia death. "
"Euthanasia is "PAINTED" as painless and peaceful? I beg to differ.
Euthanasia is "painted" as such a painless and peaceful way for an animal to die, when in fact, a vast majority of executioners allegedly "fail" to pre-medicate the dog, pet or animal to relieve the animal of its "conscious" pain and stress of the upcoming euthanasia execution process.
Then the executioners allegedly "fail" to use proper butterfly intravenous line needles and devices for proper administration of the medication injections of the "death drug." Instead the executioners allegedly take the "fast and cheap" way to kill (euthanize) your dogs, pets, and animals by sticking the syringe and "huge" needle directly into the dog or animal's heart, with no pain or stress relieving pre-medication (the dog is alert, afraid, feels and knows the pain and stress of what is happening to them when they are 'stabbed' in the heart to die), as the executioner or assistant is holding the animal down while the "death drug" (a Poison) is stabbed into the heart.
Or commonly executioner uses the direct "cheap" method of allegedly administering the "death drug" by a syringe that is allegedly stuck directly into the animal's leg or elsewhere on the body or limbs in "attempt" to hit a proper vein to inject the "death drug" into the heart that way. Thus the needle sticks, are causing major pain and distress to the pet in this syringe needle sticking process into the animal's limbs (if they even hit a proper vein at all).
More than one attempt to inject the "death drug" may well have to be done in this manner to kill the dog or pet because the executioner is unable to hit a proper vein to inject the drug (no death drug going directly into the heart via the veins and the dog does not properly or quickly die, it suffers without death quickly or easily...do you get it)?
Why are not the pet owners always present for the euthanasia process?
Why do you thing the executioners DO NOT want the pet owner to witness the euthanasia, unless a substantial additional fee is charged? Because of what I just explained to you that allegedly goes on by executioners (vets. and animal shelters, etc.)to kill your pet or animal (listed above)"
Wow! Everyone is entitled to their beliefs and opinions, for sure , but I must say I found it rather shocking to insinuate that true euthanasia is a painful procedure for an animal.
And while I don't disagree with the premise that euthanasia for young, healthy, adoptable animals is abominable, certainly a beloved, elderly, sick and suffering pet deserves the compassion of a painless death with the devoted owner's presence. I'd like to tackle that first: It has come as a surprise to me how many owners are frightened and too sad to consider staying with their pet. One co-worker asked me what she should do and I urged her to be present. She was and was grateful that she did. The experience was not alarming nor painful to witness. She told me she would have always wondered and regretted a decision to not be with her beloved Cocker Spaniel.
Second and most important: Euthanasia by a skilled, compassionate Vet or specially trained person is not painful ! Heart-sticks on conscious animals is against the AVMA protocol and one Tenn. vet was suspended and brought up on cruelty charges! If this is done behind closed doors, I assure you, it is not normal protocol and "below the standard of care"
One shot or two? Again, this is a matter of preference. Either way will procure a needle pinch, and a skilled person knows how to find and keep a vein. Pentobarbital is the standard of care for euthanasia, it is a barbiturate that rapidly renders a pet unconscious to disassociate any feelings or thought process. It is not a POISON--- it is a drug.
Suffering, animal vs. human
We have become socially evolved to recognize that suffering during the death process, in many instances, can be both frightening and painful.
We have "hospice care" for the terminally ill humans. It involves administration of different drugs to relieve pain, anxiety & fear, and combat physical changes such as fevers. Hospice care for humans does not artificially prolong life with administration of fluids or nourishment. Not many, but "some" Veterinarians are recognizing the choice for hospice for pets.
Still, an elderly beloved pet does not have the ability to rationalize why it feels pain & suffering. Tolerance to witness levels of suffering is a difficult decision for most. Do you:
allow the pet with rock-solid groin lymph nodes, unable to stand and defecate, to lie in urine?
do you allow retching, vomiting blood or eliminating digested blood?
do you wait for days of no interest in food and severe nausea, panting & respiratory failure?
do you allow an elderly pet to bloat, have detached lens or retinas?
do you wait until all the organs shut down one by one, and all the fluid leaves the body?
Surely, some of you have witnessed some pretty awful pet suffering--what is your tolerance level?
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