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Would You As A Dog Owner Do This?

Primehns

Well-Known Member
These statements - they're just a bit judgmental. I think everyone has agreed that to put down a perfectly healthy and stable dog is something we wouldn't do. When you are dealing with a dog that has severe issues, it becomes a completely different scenario. It's easy to say "spend what i got too get my dog too a family member, and hire a solid trainer." The reality is that some issues require a lifetime of work, and all the money and trainers in the world won't make a difference if you don't have someone dedicated to doing the work - every day. I don't think you know how hard it is to live with a dog like my Al. His anxiety makes life very frightening for him. It's taken four years of proving to him every single day that he can trust me to keep him safe to see marked improvement. If I loved him less he would have been re-homed long ago. Just because you (me, others on this board) are willing to put in the time, money, and work necessary to keep these dogs doesn't mean anyone else will. People make promises to the people that are dying. They fully intend to keep those promises, I'm sure, never knowing the dedication it takes to work with and live with these dogs. I don't know one person - not one - that would have the patience and tenacity to continue the level of training and counter-conditioning I do with Al on a daily basis. To whom should I send Al if I die? My husband can keep him and he can be kept in a dark house with the blinds drawn 24/7 because my DH's job often keeps him at work for more than 12 hours six days a week. That sure wouldn't hurt the four years of training I've done. My relatives? They'd try for a while and they'd not take his fear seriously and something bad would happen - and Al would be destroyed. And what can I do? Haunt them? Not all situations are equal and it's very close minded to judge others unless you can come up with a better solution than what you have said in the quotes above. I will not betray Al's trust in me by allowing him to go to anyone that will not be able to help him live as happy and fear-free a life as he can.


There's always a possibility the dog will get a good home, live or murder? Whether you have made a promise to someone or not, it's just not right. The dog is physically capable of having a good life, and just because you "own" them, doesn't give you the choice to kill the dog once something happens to the owner. You would be betraying Al's trust by killing him. This is a living breathing dog not a toy.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
There's always a possibility the dog will get a good home, live or murder? Whether you have made a promise to someone or not, it's just not right. The dog is physically capable of having a good life, and just because you "own" them, doesn't give you the choice to kill the dog once something happens to the owner. You would be betraying Al's trust by killing him. This is a living breathing dog not a toy.

You're choosing to miss the point. Sometimes you have to make a choice out of love. "A possibility" of a good home is not enough. I'm not talking about "killing" someone other person's dog. I'm talking about my own best friend. A dog that everyone I know would have given up on years ago. I love him beyond words. When a dog is in pain or ill, we consider it a kindness to release them from that pain. Emotional pain is just as real as physical pain. He is not adoptable. No rescue would take him. Yes, I can say that with authority. I was an evaluator for rescue. I was a foster home and trainer for the hard cases and the neglect/abuse cases. He is not adoptable. Until I find someone that I would trust to take him I will maintain my wish that he be euthanized upon my death. A life of abuse and neglect is not fair to my boy. I can't believe that you would even argue that the "possibility of a good home" is remotely enough. I have seen what can happen to a dog with these types of issues. I've fostered them. And unfortunately some of them were too damaged by those "possible good homes" to be saved. No. My boy won't go into the system unless I can hand-pick who he goes to. I love him enough to make a very hard decision if I have to. He trusts me to do that and I've never let him down yet.

Can you really not see that the original scenario is completely different that what I have described? Really? I suspect you are very young with very few real life experiences.
 

Primehns

Well-Known Member
You're choosing to miss the point. Sometimes you have to make a choice out of love. "A possibility" of a good home is not enough. I'm not talking about "killing" someone other person's dog. I'm talking about my own best friend. A dog that everyone I know would have given up on years ago. I love him beyond words. When a dog is in pain or ill, we consider it a kindness to release them from that pain. Emotional pain is just as real as physical pain. He is not adoptable. No rescue would take him. Yes, I can say that with authority. I was an evaluator for rescue. I was a foster home and trainer for the hard cases and the neglect/abuse cases. He is not adoptable. Until I find someone that I would trust to take him I will maintain my wish that he be euthanized upon my death. A life of abuse and neglect is not fair to my boy. I can't believe that you would even argue that the "possibility of a good home" is remotely enough. I have seen what can happen to a dog with these types of issues. I've fostered them. And unfortunately some of them were too damaged by those "possible good homes" to be saved. No. My boy won't go into the system unless I can hand-pick who he goes to. I love him enough to make a very hard decision if I have to. He trusts me to do that and I've never let him down yet.

Can you really not see that the original scenario is completely different that what I have described? Really? I suspect you are very young with very few real life experiences.


Yes, but again if you love him would you rather give him the chance of finding another home, or killing your own pup? If you love them, your going to want to leave them something, or too someone. I've never heard of anyone killing their dog as they pass. Honestly if you raised and they trust you, i'd want them to live. I mean even if he ends up in a shelter, he has a fricken chance, if you kill him he doesn't.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Of course I want him to live. Don't be ridiculous. For a dog with debilitating fear issues there would be nothing more traumatic in the world that a shelter or rescue environment. He would never make it out of intake, I guarantee it. I have three dogs. The other two would go with my daughter or another relative. Unfortunately that isn't an option for Al, and it breaks my heart to say that. I'm done trying to explain this to you. I truly hope that you never have a dog with severe issues that make him unadoptable.
 

Smart_Family

Dog Food Guru
If I had a dog with aggression or fear issues, I'd much rather my dog die as a loved pet then as a shelter reject with complete strangers. I've seen both sides working in a shelter that did euthanasia both with our animals and with the general public. There was a complete difference in dogs who were walked in by people they were comfy with and by dogs who were dropped off at the shelter and then had to be led to the euthanasia room by us. Those dogs were in total survival mode and had nothing to lose. They were terrified and often bite, lunged, peed, pooped, vomited and had seizures over the stress. That is not something I'd want one of my dogs to go through.
 

Primehns

Well-Known Member
Of course I want him to live. Don't be ridiculous. For a dog with debilitating fear issues there would be nothing more traumatic in the world that a shelter or rescue environment. He would never make it out of intake, I guarantee it. I have three dogs. The other two would go with my daughter or another relative. Unfortunately that isn't an option for Al, and it breaks my heart to say that. I'm done trying to explain this to you. I truly hope that you never have a dog with severe issues that make him unadoptable.
I understand your stand here,i kinda agree about a shelter environment. If the dog is beyond rehabilitation, and the dog cannot live without you, i personally don't know what i'd do. I think we can both agree we want what's best, so i personally would give or want a close friend that knows the dog, and to keep him forever. What about a family member keeping the dog.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
You don't understand, you're backpedaling. If you really want to understand then go volunteer at a shelter. See what happens to the dogs that come in because their owners have died and the family doesn't want them. Hold that dog while it struggles. Watch it's life slip away in the hands of a stranger. Work with the behaviorist. Contact the rescue of your choice and work with them. See what damage humans can do to these dogs. Spend a couple of years rehabilitating an abused foster dog so some other person can have a good companion. Feel your heart break - and soar - as that dog happily gets in the car with his new owners. Do something. Don't just make an emphatic statement judging someone else and then backpedal with a "but I don't know."

BTW, I don't need to find anyone to take my dog. I'm not going anywhere soon barring an accident. I'm just using my boy as an example.
 
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CynJ

Well-Known Member
I'll probably get lambasted for this position but here goes....

Death is the not the worst thing that could happen to a dog. All anyone has to do is look at videos on Youtube of all varieties of animal abuse, neglect, and cruelty. A humane death at the hands of a vet beats many other vile possibilities an orphaned dog could face.

I just don't see an animal, healthy or not, being euthanized as the worst thing ever. Starved, beaten, abused, neglected, ignored, chained outside, forced to fight, used as bait - these are things that give me nightmares when I think about what will happen to my dogs if I were suddenly gone. Yes, I think a responsible pet own should try to ensure that their animals are looked after properly in the event of their death and luckily for me, I'm part of a big, dog loving family that all adore my two mastiffs and would fight over who got to take them. But many people don't have that sort of support system and I can see where they would want to stipulate that their dog be euthanized in the event of their death- those nightmare fears are not mine alone.

The other missing component to all the reaction here to this woman euthanizing her dog is a deeper understanding of the bond between a disabled person and their service dog. These bonds go far deeper than that of an owner/pet. They depend on these dogs, rely on them, build a trust with them that is unshakable. I've known several people that feel that their service dog is a part of them. Seeing someone lose their service dog to age or disease is the most heart wrenching thing. One blind woman I know who lost her beloved guide to old age told me that it would have been easier in some ways to lose her husband rather than her guide dog (and they have a wonderful marriage by all accounts - this was not a dig against her husband, but instead a testament to the dept of her attachment to her guide dog). Couple that level of emotion with those nightmare fears of what *could* happen and I can see why the woman in the article did what she did.
 

Milton Meathead

Well-Known Member
Why is it legal to do this with an animal but not legal with a human? Legally, in most countries (if not all) one can not decide when to die or even request to be euthanized however, with a perfectly healthy animal, there is no debate. I'm not sure if this country will ever change this law/right/what have you ...at least not im my lifetime. This is an increadibly selfish thing to do and at only 5 years old!! this dog could have bonded with another person who would have loved him much more than this selfish woman ever did....and if this is called love than you just better call it a murder suicide or murder death or what have you. Wrong Wrong Wrong!

With a guide dog, these dogs are usually thousands of dollars so I am sure it would have found a perfectly good home to someone who would have loved him until HE died!
 

jenyanderson

New Member
[FONT=&quot]that's just crazy. Who in their right mind would want to dosomething like that? If she loved her dog so much then why on earth would shewant to kill it for no reason? Why would her family even agree to it?[/FONT]
 

DDSK

Well-Known Member
That is completely selfish and egotisticle.
Most of our dogs are so loyal they would lay down their lives for us.
To take the dogs life just because yours is ending seems a bit goulish.
 

dogman#1

Well-Known Member
I'll agree with Jerseygirl... I am surprised a vet would even do this as it would be unethical to put down an otherwise young and healthy dog let alone a trained guid dog. I have seen a vet turn down a person to put their dog down because the dog broke its leg... the vet turned around and said sign the dog over to me and I'll fix the leg and find someone who could afford to take care of the dog properly... That's the right thing to do.
 

KristinandCianna

Well-Known Member
I would not allow a healthy, social dog to be euthanized, no. However there are some dog's that I would consider euthanizing. A dog with a poor nervous system, or bad anxiety with people or new things, a dog like maybe a Fila or a Corso that's just not really into strangers. In cases like that, maybe. But, I would first look into finding proper homes before making that decision especially for a healthy young dog. But no way in hell for a young healthy friendly happy dog. Any dog will grieve, but most will recover and fall in love with a new family or owner. That's very sad.
 

Filajulia

Member
I would do it for my cats.Nobody I know could care for them. One is a mean biter, who likely would be abused by others. My other cat is My butterscotch bundle of love. This one is extremely dependent,follows me all over the house. They are indoor only. My bundle of love is too naive for his own good, will walk up to any person or dog.If my husband finds another job (he was terminated last friday). He will travel constantly. And I know my cats do not like boarding. Opie has made some friends, who would enjoy having him. ! in Pa, the other in Quebec. Some say it's cruel. But the trauma involved in relocating the cats, seniors now, fills me with anxiety.Plus they live a good life. No visitors, no children, with mommy at home all the time. I doubt many people would like to put up with their idiosyncracies, and give them the love they are used to.
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't kill my own healthy dog obviously. The idea of being buried in the same place is ok, though. I'm not so worried about what happens to the dog after I die (well, I just hope i'll live in the next 10 years to be with my child and my puppies, and when i'll be very old and very sick i wouldn't probably get a dog at all to break his heart....)
 

PippatheMastiff

Well-Known Member
I would do it for my cats.Nobody I know could care for them. One is a mean biter, who likely would be abused by others. My other cat is My butterscotch bundle of love. This one is extremely dependent,follows me all over the house. They are indoor only. My bundle of love is too naive for his own good, will walk up to any person or dog.If my husband finds another job (he was terminated last friday). He will travel constantly. And I know my cats do not like boarding. Opie has made some friends, who would enjoy having him. ! in Pa, the other in Quebec. Some say it's cruel. But the trauma involved in relocating the cats, seniors now, fills me with anxiety.Plus they live a good life. No visitors, no children, with mommy at home all the time. I doubt many people would like to put up with their idiosyncracies, and give them the love they are used to.

My mom has it in her will to euthanize her cats and bury with her. Her cats are older and she doesn't feel they would be able to go to another home. I tend to agree. I had a cat that when I had to rehome her before I moved cross country, it wasn't working. 4 different people returned her to me saying she wouldn't acclimate to their homes. It happens. But with a dog, if not very old, I'm thinking the acclimate better. However if that's not the case, and she wouldn't be able to rehome the dog, I would say it would be kinder to take dog with. Interesting subject. It's


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