I don't get it...
Working at the vet today, we had a couple euthanasias. For some reason, today's hit me harder than usual. Or at least...they made me think even more about my opinion of it.
Pets, whether it be a dog, cat, hampster, bird, whatever, do not really get a say in when they are put to sleep. I mean, the majority of deaths for pets due to old age or illness is through euthanasia. They really don't get a say in it. Maybe they aren't as bad off as we think, and yet we are killing them. We make the decision for them, and I really don't like that. The vet brought up a good point though. When you have a dog or cat or whatever for some 15-20 years, you know that animal extremely well, or at least one would hope you did. People who really take the time to know and understand their pets and be able "read" them (as much as people can read them, can for the most part see when their pet is telling them that they're tired and don't feel like going on with life. The vet gave me an example of what a dog would say: "I love you. I've met you at the door everyday you've come home. But I'm old, and I'm tired. It's time."
That brings me to the question, why don't we do this for people? When a "people doctor" kills a patient by the patient's request, it is considered murder. When someone helps in another person's suicide, it's considered murder. Yet, when a doctor kills a dog or cat, it's considered being caring and compassionate for the animal. I don't see why there should be a difference. If a person is lying there with a chronic disease and is exptremely uncomfortable and can only survive as long as they are bed-ridden and hooked up to a machine and they request to be taken off the machine, it is not allowed. It's illegal. Yet when family makes the decision because the person is unresponsive, it's perfectly fine. Why can't we choose for ourselves? Why must others make the decision for us? This goes for animals as well. Why is it allowed to be like this? By no means do I want animals to suffer pain and discomfort and everything. Trust me, that's part of the reason I want to be a vet myself. But I just don't understand it.
So yeah, that's my major hang up with putting an animal to sleep. It's not their choice; it's ours. What if we're wrong?
Pets, whether it be a dog, cat, hampster, bird, whatever, do not really get a say in when they are put to sleep. I mean, the majority of deaths for pets due to old age or illness is through euthanasia. They really don't get a say in it. Maybe they aren't as bad off as we think, and yet we are killing them. We make the decision for them, and I really don't like that. The vet brought up a good point though. When you have a dog or cat or whatever for some 15-20 years, you know that animal extremely well, or at least one would hope you did. People who really take the time to know and understand their pets and be able "read" them (as much as people can read them, can for the most part see when their pet is telling them that they're tired and don't feel like going on with life. The vet gave me an example of what a dog would say: "I love you. I've met you at the door everyday you've come home. But I'm old, and I'm tired. It's time."
That brings me to the question, why don't we do this for people? When a "people doctor" kills a patient by the patient's request, it is considered murder. When someone helps in another person's suicide, it's considered murder. Yet, when a doctor kills a dog or cat, it's considered being caring and compassionate for the animal. I don't see why there should be a difference. If a person is lying there with a chronic disease and is exptremely uncomfortable and can only survive as long as they are bed-ridden and hooked up to a machine and they request to be taken off the machine, it is not allowed. It's illegal. Yet when family makes the decision because the person is unresponsive, it's perfectly fine. Why can't we choose for ourselves? Why must others make the decision for us? This goes for animals as well. Why is it allowed to be like this? By no means do I want animals to suffer pain and discomfort and everything. Trust me, that's part of the reason I want to be a vet myself. But I just don't understand it.
So yeah, that's my major hang up with putting an animal to sleep. It's not their choice; it's ours. What if we're wrong?