"Humanely Euthanized."

[slj0101]

As a recent animal cop show addict, I wonder: is there really a need for this euphemism? And the narrator doesn't just say it once, but every time such an instance occurs. It's not as if they crucify or draw & quarter the animals down at the ASPCA.

I'm not looking for flames, it's just that the excess use of words is a pet peeve of mine.

[idgiehkt]

1. there are some forms of euthanasia

that aren't humane, like gas chamber. Also when people who aren't properly trained do it. I think it doesn't hurt to accent the fact that what they are doing is very humane. I've seen it done a lot when I worked at vets and I can testify to that, that using the IV euthanasia is very humane. Plus it's been my experience that people should never assume that local shelters whether county-run or run by the Humane Society or ASPCA are humanely run. Some are, and some suck eggs.

[slj0101]

3. Right, but a with a show dedicated to profiling those who stand up for

the welfare of animals, it should go without saying.

Could you imagine it? "Because of his food aggression, the ASPCA had no choice but to line him up before the firing squad."
It just doesn't jive.

[idgiehkt]

6. this is a huge issue with shelters

I'm glad they hammer it home. Because the public needs to understand what *humane* euthanasia is and then demand their local shelters practice it. My local shelter does not, they euthanize via the gas chamber. It's good that you are questioning why they use the term 'humane' in front of it, it's probably exactly *why* they are doing that. Shelters in NC have been caught shooting dogs at the landfill, dropping in the water in their cages, etc, etc. So there is a huge difference in euthanasia vs. humane euthanasia when it comes to county shelters. There is also a huge amount of graft at these shelters. Just in the four years I've lived in my county, 2 shelter directors have been fired for embezzlement. One way to save money is to not euthanize humanely, and pocket those funds.

[slj0101]

7. Sadly, I noticed this at a local shelter of mine.

When I was in the market for a cat, I would browse there in my free time. I noticed they had an unusually high amount of turnover for cats (and as you may well know, adult cats aren't exactly a commodity). Turns out a local news expose uncovered a ridiculous amount of euthanasia for this particular shelter, especially among black cats. You'd think people would be over superstition by the time they grew up, wouldn't you? :eyes:

I'm seeing this from a different perspective. Thanks. :)

[achtung_circus]

16. Euthanasia

is literally "good death" but it does not hurt for us to emphasise to the public that we make it as humane as possible.

I will disagree with your blanket condemnation of "gas". It depends.

If you are talking about facilities, generally pounds rather than shelters, using a detuned internal combustion engine, then I will wholeheartedly agree.

If you are talking about using a properly designed, constructed, maintained and operated chamber utilizing bottled carbon monoxide gas I will disagree.

From the AVMA Panel on euthanasia, 2000

http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf


Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas
that is nonflammable and nonexplosive unless concentrations
exceed 10%. It combines with hemoglobin to
form carboxyhemoglobin and blocks uptake of O2 by
erythrocytes, leading to fatal hypoxemia.
In the past, mass euthanasia has been accomplished
by use of 3 methods for generating CO: (1)
chemical interaction of sodium formate and sulfuric
acid, (2) exhaust fumes from idling gasoline internal
combustion engines, and (3) commercially compressed
CO in cylinders. The first 2 techniques are associated
with problems such as production of other gases,
achieving inadequate concentrations of carbon monoxide,
inadequate cooling of the gas, and maintenance of
equipment. Therefore, the only acceptable source is
compressed CO in cylinders.

[idgiehkt]

18. if there is a way to humanely euthanize with gas

I am not against it. I've heard of video of dogs fighting it and resisting it. And the problem of course is that pounds cram many animals into one cage to save money and the animals fight, which is a terrifying thing for smaller animals to go through. There is untold cruelty at pounds...one can only imagine what things are done. But I have seen botched IV euth performed by people who were not well trained and I am not sure that people working at local pounds need to be euthanizing (by I.V.) anyway...but it is hard to get vets or techs to do it because it is psychologically traumatic.

[LeftyMom]

10. Some shelters still use inhumane methods

Gas, vacuum chambers, taking the dogs out back with an old rifle... and that's just in the US. In China they don't have ready access to rabies vaccine, so when there's an outbreak they send the police from house to house and shoot any pets they find, along with any strays. Do you want to know what they do to stray dogs in Turkey? They toss them in the trash truck with the refuse and turn the compressor on. I wouldn't believe it, but I've seen the video myself.

So yeah, they absolutely do have to make that point, because in most of the world and a fair portion of the US, mostly rural areas, that's not the case.

[idgiehkt]

13. I've seen some pics from China

during the rabies thing, of dogs being beaten to death with boards, in the street. And these were pets...it's appalling.

[Redstone]

11. Well-said, indeed. Whe we had to put our Shepherd down, the vet gave her the shots

while I held her in my arms. She was very sick, but I'm sure she appreciated being warm and hearing me tell her what a good girl she was.

And she WAS a good girl.

Redstone

[Chan790]

2. It's to protect the senstivities of...

people who get really really broken-up about this sort of thing and small children who like to watch the animals being rescued. (I'm not sure it's appropriate for children to be watching some of these things because they're sometimes awful...simply brutal to watch.)

Generally here I tend to agree about overuse of euphemism and words...but in this case I don't really have an issue with it. There really is no good way to say the dog who was just rescued from an awful life was nippy and had to be put down because of limited resources and the inability to put a dog who bites or is psychologically-jumpy(because he was abused) up for adoption.

[slj0101]

4. And it's always sad.

Especially some of those dogs that pass every test with flying colors, then have to be put down because they're aggressive eaters.

You have a point. I always assumed it was a disclaimer of sorts.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. sigh...

we had to do that to my Aunt Bernice. Nobody was safe standing between her and a box of ho-ho's.

[Blue-Jay]

12. How many aunts do you have?

50?

[jpgray]

15. MonkeyFunk's got more relatives than Gabe Kaplan

[MonkeyFunk]

17. well

49 now, with Bernice gone.

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. I can't watch that show.

:cry:

[slj0101]

9. It's worth it to see the success stories.

They had an adorable little pup on the other night who had parvo and distemper. The vets didn't expect her to live, but she made a full recovery.

[idgiehkt]

14. I love them

There is nothing more satisfying to me than watching people who commit cruelty to animals do the perp walk. I love seeing them spread eagled against the patrol car, searched, and then cuffed. I like seeing them being escorted into the precinct. I like watching the judge give them hell during the trial, and I like seeing them being found guilty and in the best of cases, led off to jail. These are, of course, in the millionth of one percentile of animal cruelty events....it's such a rarity to see people actually get arrested and prosecuted. Unfortunately I don't have that much cable any more so I can't watch, but when I do get to watch those shows they are deeply satisfying.

[sammythecat]

19. Neither can I

That kind of stuff just depresses me. So I avoid it.