Do you think that Humanely Euthanizing is a good thing or a bad thing?

Question

HI
I am doing this for a school project and need some ideas.
Please help
(no bad comments please)

Answer 1

I think your project would benefit from you reading this link:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlLmqFjbnmO5BYhs40rLWDgjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071005084846AA8mTtv
awhile back someone on here asked a question regarding the humane society and how they euthanize homeless animals...the question referred to a book called 'Redemption' by Nathan Winograd and an interview they read with the author
here is a link to that interview:
http://consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/article/183
this question really sparked a fire with some people; I read the entire interview and found it interesting yet lacking...if you read the interview, the question asked on Y!A, and the responses that people gave to the question on Y!A then you'd really get all the sides to this subject:
the interview discusses how the author feels there is no need to euthanize homeless animals, and feels that the shelters aren't doing all they can to re-home the animals they get, the questioner on Y!A was on the fence and unsure what to think just yet, the responses to the question on Y!A are filled with emotion and with factual information on the humane's society's practise of "humane euthanization"
I hope you'll take the time to read all of the responses to the question
as for me...I believe in seeing all points before I decide on something
euthaniza is not a black or white, right or wrong decision:
it is a very hard decision to make
on the one hand there are 4.5 million animals put to sleep every year..."If the American public would just step up and claim responsibility then there would be no problem. Too many people are not educated enough to go to the shelter, they fear that shelter dogs are all old, unhealthy, aggressive mutts but thats because they are to ignorant to go to the shelter and look before going to a breeder or a pet shop. They are not uneducated for lack of the HSUS trying, they are only uneducated because they refuse to believe that what they want to do is wrong. Anyone who goes to the shelter first would see that most of the dogs in there are healthy, not aggressive (although in need of training), and you can even find some purebred dogs if thats what you really want. Alot of people want puppies, and most of the dogs in the shelters are full grown; alot of people want purebreds and most of the dogs in shelters are mutts...also, yes there are alot of homes out there however many of these homes are in apartments or on a small plot of land so larger dogs or dogs who need alot of exercising have a harder time finding a home than the smaller dogs and cats do. Another thing that we as a nation need to do is to take the time to educate our youth, they are the future generation of backyard breeders, dog fighters, and average pet owners. If we addressed the children of America as the long term solution to our problems we would probably see more results. So many pet owners get an animal without understanding the needs of that animal and months or years down the road they end up dropping it off at the shelter because they never should have had that type of animal in the first place. If we taught are children responsibility and respect for other living things then maybe the next generation of pet owners would be smart enough to spay/neuter and also to not take home a pet that they do not have the means to care for. I also believe we would see less unhealthy animals in shelters if we found some way to fund lower cost vet clinics. Too many people surrender their pets because they can't afford a simple vet visit and if the vet didn't cost so much then the average American maybe more capable of paying for the proper health care for the pets they own. I feel we are overpopulated. We are overpopulated because dogs can reproduce faster than we can: If a dog can reproduce 10 or 15 puppies in one life and we can only reproduce 1 or 2 children then the average household does not have the means to care for the number of dogs they would need to in order to save them all. Think about it, I'll lower the numbers down so that we can take a close look at it: If the census for our country was only 100 people, and 50 dogs/cats to start out with, then how long would it be before we'd have too many animals? Well, lets just say that in this scenario a dog can produce an average of 5 pups a year and that within one year the pups would be full grown (whereas it takes 18 years to make a human full-grown and most Americans only have one or two children). So if 25 of those dogs reproduced and each had a litter of 5 pups then within the year we would have 175 full grown dogs (the original 50, plus the 125 second generation) and only 100 Americans who are full grown and can care for a dog so 75 Americans would have to have two dogs, no big deal, yet. Next year 87 dogs reproduce and have 5 pups each so within the year we have 613 full grown dogs (the original 50 plus the 125 second generation plus the 438 third generation) and still only 100 full grown humans who can house a dog, which would mean that every human would have to house about 6 or 7 dogs to find them all homes. In this scenerio, it took us only two years to become overpopulated with pets. Dogs can reproduce faster than we can, that's a simple fact. Even if we had 5 kids each like the dogs did, our kids take 18 years to grow up and dogs are full grown (and able to reproduce) only a year after being born. unless we have our pets spayed/neutered then they will always outnumber us. Another reason we are overpopulated, not everyone wants a dog! If their dog dies, they may decide they don't want anymore pets for awhile, or they may decide that they want a purebred, or they may decide that they want cat, or they may not have the means (money, space, and time) to care for a dog at that point in time."
on the other hand...if we start now, as a nation, altering all the dogs and cats not suitable for breeding and educating our children on proper pet care, then maybe in 40 or 50 years we will be able to become a no-kill nation. Maybe if we start now with fixing all of the problems and all of the flaws which cause overpopulation then maybe by the time our children are our age overpopulation will no longer be an issue and there will be no need to euthanize animals that have special needs or need some extra time to find a permanent home.
Realistically speaking, America is not going to solve the problem of over population in one night, we are not even going to solve that problem in 50 years, the reason? Because not all Americans believe there is a problem and some who do know about the problem of over-population just don't care.
Until we fix over-population we will always have the need to humanely euthanize, it's better than having no-kill warehouses full of dogs pressing their noses up against the door waiting for someone who is never going to come. There is such a thing as a fate worse than death; here is a link to what a kind of life dogs would live in no-kill warehouses:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/f/f6/300px-DSC6270.jpg
no fetch, no getting pet, just a life time of looking out and wishing someone would come love you....then again, death isn't that pretty either, visit this link to few what people consider "humane" (be warned it's rather graphic):
http://www.spotsociety.org/fatedog.html
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humane ethanization is not a good thing, but until we as Americans can stand up for what is right and spay/neuter our pets then humane ethanization is our best option.

Answer 2

i say it is depending on the situation, i don't like that animals in shelters are being euthanized, but when an animal is sick with no hope i believe it is the best thing. i am a horseback rider/lover and i know that once a horse cant keep weight on and all it can do is sit in its stall its not really fair to keep him alive. there is a horse at my barn who is in his late late 30's and he cannot keep weight on, keeps getting sick and choking, cannot be ridden or taken out for more then a half hour and i honestly don't think the owner should make him suffer. I live in New England and it is already getting cold which means that he will just get worse. Although i know it is hard to let an animal go if it is in the animals favor then i think it should be done.

Answer 3

a] Are you trying to play God? b] No human being has the right to interfere or cut short the progress of another soul because we are all there in this physical plane to learn certain lessons, or truths, about life, about ourselves and each other. This is not accomplished if a life is deliberately cut short by our direct action. So, the answer is "Euthanizing humans is a bad thing" and now you know why. c] The fighting parents have to resolve their own problem and leave the innocent young life out of it. It's really a secondary and lame excuse for not taking responsibility for one's actions. It doesn't matter how humanely you propose to act, the fact of killing another human being is illegal and despicable. Grow up!

Answer 4

I found a little rabbit I took her to the vet here in germany and she had a horrid illness she was dying. She couldn't see and she was very sick and in alot of pain. She couldn't see therefore couldn't find food or water. She was starving So I had her put down to end all the pain she was going through everyone has choices to make in life. I belive if an animal is suffering in horrible pain and will die or not get better at all I think it is selfish not to Help in the best way we can. As a Humane person and an animal lover you must always keep their health and best intrest in mind. Some animals can be rehabilitated If they are violent and Don't have to be put down. Some can't and risk hurting others. If animals are sick It is the helpful and kind thing to do if they are dying to Put them out of their suffering.

Answer 5

I think it is a very good thing. And I'm glad they use it to put injured and sick animals out of their misery and also to poor animals who have no homes and are living on the streets. I think they'd be better off dead then living in the conditions that some strays do. And I think it should be legalized to use on terminally ill people. If people who are terminally ill (and I really do stress that) they should be allowed to be euthanised if they are ready to go. Why should someone be forced to go through such pain in the final days or weeks of their lives? I'd much rather spend the day out with those I love, come home, lie on my bed and pass away peacefully in the arms of my lover. However I do not think euthanization should be used on completely healthy people who feel the world is screwing them over and they can no longer cope with it.

Answer 6

For a shelter situation.. its a necessary evil. If we did not euthanize, the shelters would be overflowing with cats and dogs.. cages would be stuffed full!

An animal that does not find a home within a certain time frame is better off to be eutanized, they go crazy if they are caged too long.

Euthanizing an ill or injured animal is a good thing too... so they do not have to suffer.

There are far worse ways to die than euthanasia.

Answer 7

Are you talking about euthanizing unwanted animals? Unfortunately, it's a part of life due to overcrowding and lack of homes. If you're talking about euthanizing humanely versus violently-then humanely wins!

Answer 8

I'm thinking more along the lines of the shot they give prisoners who get the death sentence... I agree with that, but only if there is not a doubt about thier guilt. They have killed someone and have caused others to suffer... they are getting thier just desserts. As far as the terminaly ill, I like to think that should be ok too but it not what God would have us do. If you look at it from a religious stand point, it is wrong. They say that God would never bring us to it, that if we lean on Him, we should get thru it. But I myself have a terminal illness, the last days are going to be rough, and I will have to suffer. But I hope I am strong enough and will look to God, to get me thru it... as I do think taking your own life is a sin.

Answer 9

If the animal is too sick or badly injured to recover, then euthanizing it is more humane than trying to treat it so its agony is prolonged and it dies a slow painful death.

Answer 10

I'm glad that we can humanely euthanize our pets. When they get old, sick and have a horrible quality of life... I think it's the best gift we can give them.