Questioning Animal Euthanasia

The practice of euthanizing animals is a rather difficult subject to question. There seems to be almost universal consensus that ‘suffering’ animals should be euthanized. Yet what I would like to (gently) explore is that the concept of suffering is both ambiguous and subjective, and that perhaps we have overly automated the process of euthanasia.

I have read several definitions for euthanasia; the most common is from Ancient Greek meaning gentle or good death. The universally held belief is that euthanasia is an act of mercy for a suffering, terminally ill or aged animal.

There is much room for ambiguity in the practice of euthanasia. I question, at times, if it is the best way for an animal to die. I am not always so sure it is the ‘gentle death’ we believe it to be.

I also question when euthanasia is used. In the USA, animal shelters euthanize unwanted and un-adopted pets. Euthanasia is used when pet owners cannot afford veterinarian bills or are unwilling to pay for long-term medical treatments. The reason for the use of euthanasia is therefore ambiguous, or confused at times, and frequently misused.

Euthanasia is killing an animal. We can call it euthanasia and use all sorts of gentling euphemisms like putting the animal ‘to sleep’ or putting the ‘animal down’, but euthanasia is actively and consciously killing an animal (or paying a qualified veterinarian to do it for you).

Watching them suffer, and deciding when they have suffered enough, is a rather profound responsibility. And I would argue that it is a responsibility we take too lightly.

I have been thinking a lot about euthanasia lately as my beloved dog died and five of my chickens passed away in the last fourteen months.

My partner and I adopted ten rescue chickens in 2007. The chickens had lived in a battery hen facility for the first 14 months of their lives until they were rescued by the Mayne Island Animal Sanctuary and eventually adopted by us.

Their little immune systems were/are rather weak from life on the factory farm. Even though we have fortified the chickens with a 100% organic diet, a heated coop, free run of the three acres we live on, as much love as they will accept, and supplement their health regime with homeopathy, echinacea and vitamin C, the fragile creatures still seem unable to surmount their difficult start in life.

Over the last year I watched five of these funny little creatures go from abused egg-laying machines to busy, vibrant birds to chickens transformed and prematurely brought to the end of their short lives by illnesses and ailments resulting from their initial abuse. It is inarguable that these creatures have suffered. They suffered in the battery hen facility, they suffered when they were healing from that experience and they suffered as they were dying.

Riley, our seven-year-old dog, had the best of what we could provide, but still went from a wild, joyful creature to a fragile, elderly man as the cancer ate through his muscle and body mass until, one day, it seemed there was simply nothing left.

Our society treats ‘putting down’ an animal as just another task to be preformed as quickly and perfunctory as possible.

Each of the animals was suffering. Watching them suffer, and deciding when they have suffered enough, is a rather profound responsibility. And I would argue that it is a responsibility we take too lightly.

When an animal is in extreme trauma it’s much easier (for lack of a better word) to make a decision, but what about the rest of the time? When an animal is slowly growing old, has cancer, an unknown illness? When is it the ‘right’ time, when the circumstances and suffering is more ambiguous?

I have had four animals euthanized, and even though both of the veterinarians did their skillful best under the circumstances, none of the deaths were ‘gentle’ for the animal. I have only seen one gentle death with an animal, and frankly, I believe it was more to do with the fact the chicken was at the very end of its life rather than anything the kindly vet did.

So I ask myself, what would be worse, what is worse - to die naturally with physical suffering and the possibility of some pain or to die filled with fear when a distant stranger puts a needle of drugs into an organ?

I worry that we kill animals too quickly and treat their death too lightly. Do we see death as a sacred act or is it just another knee-jerk compulsion? It seems our society treats ‘putting down’ an animal as just another task to be preformed as quickly and perfunctory as possible.

A painful, trauma-filled death seems achingly devoid of the divinity and grace that should surround the end of life – be it for humans or animals.

I worry that we turn our heads from suffering and absolve ourselves of any responsibility of the possibility that we contribute to suffering. We cloak our actions in the belief that we are ‘merciful’; know what is ‘best’ and that we are doing the ‘right’ thing. Death is a rather significant part of our life experience and a painful, trauma-filled death seems achingly devoid of the divinity and grace that should surround the end of life – be it for humans or animals.

I think we need to ask ourselves - are we doing enough to ensure the animal is not suffering through a prolonged illness or suffering through an unpleasant death? Maybe we also need to look at bit closer at the practice of euthanasia to ensure it is as gentle as it could be.

Part of being a caring friend to our animal companions means ensuring the animal can die as well as they lived. It is the least we can do for all the love and joy they so generously brought into our lives.

Valerie Williams is a writer living on Salt Spring Island. She shares her home with five chicken-friends.

Comments (2)

Show/Hide comment form