When animals are put to sleep they are injected with a drug that stops their heart. During the procedure they are awake and fully aware, and able to feel pain. How can this be humane?
2006-07-15 11:11:10 · 23 answers · asked by Spaz 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
It's a lot more humane and a lot less pain than months of suffering..both for the animal and the owner.
2006-07-15 11:15:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your "during the procedure" remark is not entirely correct. I worked in an animal hospital for more than a year and witnessed several euthanasias and spoke to the vets and techs about them. The injection itself is just an overdose of anesthetic, so the animal quickly becomes unconscious (any twitching you see usually has to do with circulation - the animal is unaware of what is happening) so is not "awake and fully aware, and able to feel pain." They are awake when the needle intially goes in, but beyond that they quickly fade, and are usually totally relaxed before the syringe is empty (within seconds). The pain from the needle is no worse than when we get a shot, and any pain from the body systems shutting down is very short lived. It isn't easy to euthanize, but in some cases it is far more humane and compassionate than leaving an ailing pet in misery.
2006-07-15 11:21:47 · answer #2 · answered by Damaila 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Animals are euthanized by injection, yes, however it's not much different than you getting a flu shot, it's a needle.
Nobody likes to put a pet down, but sometimes it is the right thing to do. Always remember that it's your responsibility as a pet owner to make your pet as comfortable as it can be, and do the right thing for it, no matter how much it hurts YOU.
If you've ever seen a pet in severe pain, a needle to put them to sleep is definitely humane.
2006-07-15 11:17:10 · answer #3 · answered by fiddlesticks9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think its all that humane but if the animal was suffering before then it kinda ends it, but if they wake up and are fully aware thats not humane because the know that they are going to die, I think they should find a drug that they dont wake up or doesnt put them through much pain, or none at all, I dont know that's what I think
2006-07-15 11:16:47 · answer #4 · answered by Candice_Awesome 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's humane & an act of loving kindness.
If an animal is at the point of having to be put to sleep, then there probably is already a lot of pain for them or there is no other hope for them to continue living a normal life.
2006-07-15 11:16:27 · answer #5 · answered by Bluealt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is quite humane to put an animal to sleep that is suffering or dying if living means to be in unbearable pain that only leads to misery . Would you like to see a loved one hurting in pain all the time ? Truth is there just isnt medicines to stop pain with some illnesses and its sometimes better to let an animal pass pain free with euthinasea than let them live miserable and suffering in pain. Hope this answers your question .
2006-07-15 11:16:24 · answer #6 · answered by D K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what the alternative is. Does the animal have a terminal illness that is causing it as much pain everyday? Or has it been abandoned or neglected to the point of starving to death? I would rather see an animal put to sleep than to suffer.
2006-07-15 11:15:24 · answer #7 · answered by angib18 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i thought they couldn't feel the pain! i'm sure they can't.
well if you where injured and suffering BADLY and there was no way to cure you and you would be suffering for about 2 weeks before you died of your injury the best thing to do was put you to sleep. they call it humane cause it stop the suffering from your injury of any sort.
now to put animals to sleep because no on wants them is wrong. they are inoccent to the world and unless hey killed someone they have the right to live a great life!
2006-07-15 12:03:50 · answer #8 · answered by la♥chiva 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a cat who once had a tree fall on her...to make a long story short, there was nothing we could do for her. She was in INCREDIBLE pain. She had dragged herself to our door and waited for us to return home -- when we did, she meowed pittifully.
It was heartbreaking since she didn't know why she hurt and there's no way to explain it to an animal...you could almost see the question in her eyes. We had to put her to sleep. She was in pure agony up to that point, but once she was gone you could see peace on her face.
She would have died anyway and it would have been slow and agonizing. I know it was much more humane to put an end to her pain -- though it was many years ago, I still get tears in my eyes to think of the look in her eyes before the vet came!
2006-07-15 11:49:40 · answer #9 · answered by the_mjollnir 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As answered before..the drugs act as a sedative in that the animal feels nothing. They are basicly sedated as if going into surgery and then the heart finally stops (basicly a drug overdose in a nutshell except the animal doesnt feel anything).
2006-07-15 11:42:40 · answer #10 · answered by killer189 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋