Is it ALright to make Decisions for Our Animals to be Put Down?

If the animal is in terrible pain, then it is best to take it to see a vet. If the vet says there's nothing they can do, then, yes, it would be wise to put the animal down. They cannot speak for themselves, like humans do, so we must make those decisions for them. Since most people think of their pets as part of the family, the decision is always a hard choice to make, but it must be made.

for the last 11 months ive been nursing my dogs health after getting diabetes, his pancreas went and i was it from then on. he went blind from the diabetes, i got him cataract surgery, took him to the vets 1 time each week for 11 months so they could test his sugar, sores started breaking out because the vets couldnt control his sugar. i made him a special diet twice a day every day, stuck him with needles twice a day. loved him as much as i could every day, never went anywhere just so he wouldnt be alone. the cost was extreme 8000 in 8 months and i never put him down. i cashed in part of my retirement for my dog and 3 weeks ago he wouldnt eat, not even a cookie (sugar free of course,dog treat) he was vomiting hourly so i took him to a dog internist 2 hours away and they kept him overnight, the next day he still wasnt eating and had blood in his urine and stool, i wanted my dog back screw them. then i realized i was being extremely selfish and ' had ' to put him down. well max is with us now on our hutch, the internist had him creamated for us at a dog cemetary. when we picked up his ashes he was in a walnut box with velour covering and a prayer that said " we'll meet again someday at the rainbow bridge " i talk to him every day and planted a tropical lilly outside with his favorite chasing animal a rabbit and a cross. and when its my time he'll be in my box next to me.

Of course, it's not right to put animals down without letting them make their own decisions. We need to ask them how they feel about it and respect their wishes. It wouldn't be a bad idea to check and see if they have a living will that needs to be followed. But we also have to consider whether they're mentally capable of making such a decision. Take you cat or dog to a good psychiatrist and have them evaluated before anybody makes any decisions.

I had to face that decision with my Misty and postponed it one week afte the vet told me it was the best for her. Now I feel guilty of not having done it a week earlier. I would have saved her a lot of pain. Anf Misty DID ask me to put her down with her more than human eyes. As for human beings, I wouldn´t talk of "putting them down" of course. But if a person expreses his will of being taken out of machines or other "miracles" of science that have nothing to do with what was meant for us, I would also try to accept that quality of life is more important than longevity. Take care

animal also have the same rights as human. Animal can feel pain and also wants freedom so if you tru animal lover, show your love by letting it go off free

I think it's alright if they are sick or in pain. I have had to put two of my cats down in the last 6 years. They were both very hard decisions. With both of them there wasn't anymore I could do to help them be healthy again. I was willing to do anything to keep them with me. They were like my babies. It was so hard. I think of them often. I always ask did I make the right decision. Then I try to think about them not being sick or in pain anymore. That makes me feel better. I think most people would not put their parents down. My parents have Health Care Proxy's to make decisions easier. Several years ago my grandma was very sick and in the hospital for awhile. The Dr.'s told us she was never going to get better, she was never going to wake up. We had to make a decision as a family to stop treatment or not. It was decided to stop treatment. Before she passed she woke up and looked around. It looked like she was trying to say something. I thought we made the wrong decision. I was so distraught. I went to a Psychic Fair a few months after she had passed. I didn't say a word to the psychic. She said my grandma was telling us, thank you. Animal or humans, it's never an easy decision.

I know it can be a hard decision to make, but I think sometimes it's necessary. Especially in cases where the animal has a terminal illness and is in pain, then I think putting the animal down is the most merciful thing you can do.

I can't make that comparison, animals are animals and people are people. Animals aren't capable of making that decision for themselves, so, that's our job as pet owners to do what's best for them. I just had to make that very painful decision for a 16 year old dog, and yes, it was difficult, but wouldn't be fair to keep her just because I was too sad to let her go. Now, as for me, I have a living will that says if I'm being kept alive under artificial means, then let me go. Unfortunately my dog didn't have a lawyer at the time, so, I had to make that decision for her.

A long time ago, I had to have two horses put down. They were very sick and were suffering. The vets tried for a month to help them. The vets did the best they could. The horses had sorghum poisoning and there was no cure for it. Normally, this poisoning would have killed them right away but we caught it and started treatment right away. Sadly, there was no hope. The vets put the horses down in a very humane manner.

I think that if a pet animal is suffering and it has been taken to the vet and the vet has advised that there is nothing else that can be done then the suffering of the animal should be taken away or stopped. I think that this is the right thing to do and I think that it would be cruel to allow the pet to suffer just so that it can continue living with the family. It's a very hard decision to make either way. I hope that I never have to make this decision for myself. I don't have any pets right now but I would love to have a dog at some point in the future. Andrew

Hi Neededhope Oh boy thats a good question and a tough one too LOL I am not sure I could do that to my cat Jinx even if it was for the best I am kinda on the fence with this one because I wouldn't want to see him suffer either. I just couldn't stand to see him go through that. But then again on the other hand I would be to chicken to put him to sleep because of having to come to grips with fact that I would never see him again alive and walking around doing the things that he does around the house. I would miss him dearly he has a personality that is very sweet and he is also a mild mannered cat who doesn;t mind being cuddles and kissed and rubbed daily :o) So as you can see I can't even make up my mind wether or not I would do it and I'm not even in that situation, hope I never am! I guess I won't really know what I would do until I am experienceing it .(To be honest I would rather him be able to pass away in his sleep and not suffer at all.) I kinda want that for me too when its my time as well.I want that for all my loved ones because suffering is very hard to watch especially when its someone you love. But as we all know when its our time to go we go the way the Good Lord sees fit to take us.

I think animals also have the right to live and but if we have done all the things that we can do and still the animal is sick and in pain, i think it is much better to end the suffering humanely as we have the power over animals but this is not applicable to humans I guess.

I think it's cruel if you don't put them down. Yes, they feel pain but they aren't able to communicate as to how much pain they feel. If the doctors can fix them and make it ok than keep them alive... but if they can't make the pain go away than I think it's very cruel to keep them alive just for our comfort and/or happiness.

I think when the time comes for one of my animals to be put down, I'll do it! Animals can't make decisions for themselves. We have to have enough empathy, sympathy,and caring to know when it truly is time to do this. I have a 13 yr. old aussie. I believe he is a bit senile. However, he is in the best of health. When he can't stand anymore,and just lays there, I will put him down. Let me say first, that I will do everything that is humanly possible, to prevent this,and if I go into debt, that's what I'll do, but in the end I will put him down. I have told my children,that if I get truly sick, not to try to save me. Make me as comfortable as possible and, let me die. If there is a legal way to do this so I am not in pain, by all means do it. Just don't let me suffer. In the end, every living thing has to die, but it is my opinion, that we shouldn't have to suffer.

My opinion of this subject is that I would listen to the advice of my animals vet before making a decision of such magnatude. If putting them down isn't a necessity, atleast in the near future then I would let them continue on. If their health could take them from me at any given moment and they were in horrific pain on a daily basis then I would feel that it would be the most humane thing to do by putting them down as I would think of how I as a human would feel if I too was in that situation. I guess it all really depends on the individual in the particular situation and how they want to deal with the situation.