why is it humane to euthanize a horse but make people live through?

Question

any kind of pain to the bitter end? shouldn't we start euthanizing people. why is a horse's pain and suffering so terrible but not a persons?

Answer 1

We can write a living will stating no heroics,no I.V.s, no feeding tubes, and do not resuscitate.Problem is the family can disregard that as my brother did (In what he felt was in our father's best interests) Dad has had a feeding tube for over a year and a half now. He also has an I.V.Dad had a massive stroke in Aug. of 2005 he has been bed ridden every sense. Not at all what Dad wanted. If Dad were to to speak the words "Help me die" I would. I love my Dad.My Dad is bedridden he will never be able to walk again.He did not want to live like this. I helped my beloved cat Gracie Die.The vet euthanized her. It's a shame that we have to let our people suffer.

Answer 2

I am Catholic, but I do not agree with the the Church's rather contradictary stand on this issue. The reasoning that they put forth regarding euthanasia's acceptability in animals but not people has to do with the belief that horses and other animals have no soul. My own response to this is B.S. !! Horses, dogs, cats, and other animals HAVE a soul- it's just that it's different than our own. If animals have a patron saint ( St. Francis of Assisi) then by definition they must also have a soul that's worth something to someone. It is too easy to fall into the trap of fearing and hating that which one either doesn't know or doesn't understand. Barbaro was euthanized because it would have been cruel to keep him alive after he was stricken with laminitis for the second time. That's a terrible disease- I have worked with horses that have had it and have seen what it does to them. They suffer agonizing pain, and there is no cure for the condition. Euthanasia in people is something that has been practiced repeatedly throughout history- it was used in Nazi Germany to exterminate an entire race of people, and there are other cases where it has been used, such as during the Spanish Inquisitition. Most modern countries have at least some provision for euthanasia in their legal codes, but the type varies considerably. ( The US has a version of euthanasia written into both federal law and the laws of many states- it's called execution by lethal injection. When someone is executed that way, it is almost exactly the same as putting a horse down. I have even heard rumors to the effect that the solution used in such executions is the same stuff that the equine vets I know carry on their mobile trucks when they make farm calls.) The Church, of course, opposes this- they have the belief that suffering is good for the soul and helps guarantee entrance into Heaven, but I'm not so sure. If we started euthanizing people, who would we choose? Probably the same groups that have always been persecuted in the past- the elderly, the crimminally insane, the mentally ill, those who suffer from seizure disorders such as epilepsy, the mentally retarded, homosexuals, transgendered people,-the list is almost endless. Legalizing euthanasia will not solve society's problems-not without creating even more serious ones of its own. People do have a right to choose how, when, and where they will die-but that right should not mean that innocent people are also killed for no reason other than someone either doesn't like them or thinks that they are a burden that society shouldn't have to bear, or believes that they are a threat in some way. ( This is the kind of thinking that the Nazis used, and some of today's terrorist groups still use, to justify their actions. Al- Queada is one of these groups- that's part of why they committed the atrocities on 9/11, and also a big part of why they continue to pose such a huge threat to Americans and their allies.) Forcing someone to stay alive against their will is no better either, but until science provides us with the means to predict and have more control over our end-of life status, we are stuck. One day, the medical and legal professions will wake up and realize that this debate is getting us nowhere. I can't say when that will happen.

Answer 3

There have been occasions where a horse with a broken ankle has survived to race again, Seabiscuit. But this usually isn't the case. Because horses live on their feet, most can't handle the pain and stress not being able to be off of their feet or running causes. In most cases it is more humane to euthanize a horse with this type of injury. I've read about several race horses with a broken ankle or leg that has recovered. Most will be used for breeding, very few for racing. But since she has both broken, it was more humane to euthanize her. Horses are fight or flight animals, and pain triggers the flight instinct. She would never have survived an injury to both of her legs.

Answer 4

Some people do choose death, because they know that their life would be very painful and have no meaning if they are severly disabled. If a horse that suffers a terrible accident will no longer run, have a rider, or anything like that and merely spend the rest of its life standing in its stall, with great pain, then it is more humane to euthanize it so it won't have to live such a terrible, painful life.

Answer 5

I really really really really wish that they would legalize human euthanasia. I know if I had advanced cancer, or was in an accident, or where I was a vegetable, or in large amounts of pain all the time, or would never be able to live a normal life on 2 legs doing things myself, I would want to be euthanized.

I don't think it's fair to let people suffer, and animals get to have it ended.

Answer 6

Euthanizing Barbaro was kinda like taking a person off life support.

I, however, believe that assisted suicide should be allowed. Why not let a person just slip away peacefully when there is no chance of recovery and they are in a lot of pain? I watched my aunt, my grandpa, my uncle and several other family members suffer after strokes, and through cancer, and I don't want to go that way. I don't want to go in so much pain that I'm so drugged I don't know my family. I"d rather go peacefully.

Answer 7

You do know in Canada there is a huge debate over a law about this right? I mean about euthanizing people who cannot speak for themselves (vegtables), but their families think they would not want to live like that? A couple people are trying to get it legalized. And American hve the death penalty... ok not the same thing but still...

Answer 8

Because of the dumb religion, one guy in Italy had been on a feeding tube (unnatural)since 1995 and wanted to go peacefully, the harsh catholic church said "no it's unnatural". So, what is unnatural, I think it's relative on how you perceive happiness and the right to live life to the fullest.
Anyway, as for the end of the story, the very sick man got his wish and was euthanized and died peacefully but of course the harsh and selfish catholics refused him from having a church service. Who cares about them anyway, they're only limiting people so they can overpower them.

Answer 9

I think part of it is because the animal can't communicate to us whether it wants to continue living in pain or with a lower quality of life, or if it wants to die. Also, we can't explain to the animal that the pain they are feeling is temporary or anything like that. Therefore, the animal is suffering and it doesn't know why and will probably try to hide it (survival instinct), so most animals are probably in greater pain than they let on.

Since the animal can't decide, most people think it's cruel to let an animal continue to suffer, especially considering that doesn't happen in nature. Predators or the severe living conditions are nature's Dr. Kevorkian.

Answer 10

We do euthanize people. It's called pulling the plug. It was up to Barbaro's owners the same way it would be up to a person's family. They could have allowed Barbaro to live, but in his condition it would have been nothing but a painful existance. Let the horse freaking die in peace without bringing up all kinds of stupid philosophical questions.