To think this is immoral? Dog euthanasia

I’m so sorry about your cat, even though you clearly know it was the right and kind thing for him. It’s very difficult for us when we are left behind though.

its not the same, but I had my elderly cat put to sleep today. He’d quickly got to the stage where the good and bad days were about even. I love my cat and it’s been so so difficult.

its such a hard decision to make, especially if it’s the first time having to do it.

but very few domesticated animals die naturally of old age, so you just have to be the adult and do the right thing for them. It’s about their quality of life.

and everyone dies eventually, so it’s selfish and self centered to only think what’s right for you and not your pet.

if you’re looking for an opinion you either need to distance yourself or have a frank discussion about why your friends ultimately so selfish she’s putting her needs above her pet. And just putting off the inevitable.

The kindest thing you can do for your much loved pet is know when their pain or ailments outweigh any quality of life, and have them euthanised in a calm and gentle manner.

But emotional attachment shouldn't come before an animal's quality of life. That's the agreement you enter into when you get a dog - you love them, but you also have to say goodbye to them. You're not a good owner if you keep an animal alive purely for your own benefit.

I hate it when people do this. I had my Ddog pts when it was time. It broke me, but it’s what you do if you love them. Totally agree that it’s medication keeping it alive, not god. God would have ended its suffering by now.

This is such a personal decision though. You are seeing things as an outsider without the same level of emotion attached.

Yup, but good luck getting her to see this, all thats likely to happen is her no longer speaking to you, rather than her actually doing the right thing for her dog.

My close doggy friends and I have an agreement that if we ever think one of us is being a dick about a dogs quality of life, we WILL tell them, kindly, but clearly.

When we've had wobbly old dogs, we've discussed things and done quality of life checks with one another, like 'can Fluffy still do xyz' 'how much medication is Fluffy on and does that have side effects' etc.

So far (over the last 20 years) its been helpful, no ones taken things too far and no ones been upset or fallen out with one another - though it probably does help we are also all dog trainers/behaviourists etc.

I agree with you @Endopossibly

I used to see a man dragging his dog round our streets each day - the dog was old, blind, very arthritic and riddled with cancer. We moved away so I don't know how much longer this went on for.

I used to think - poor thing. The man admitted he couldn't emotionally cope with getting the dog put down but it wasn't the kindest thing, in my opinion.

I'd far rather be a day early rather than a day late, and prolong my beloved companion's suffering. And I'd find it bloody hard not to vociferously advocate for an animal that is being caused to suffer for selfishness masquerading as fatalism.

It’s much harder when you’re the one making the decision, than looking in from the outside.

With my dog… it was so so hard to know what the right decision was. I have no idea what quality of life means or looks like for a pet at a point - it isn’t the same as for a human.

I think vets should have more ethical guidelines. I've known of elderly dogs who have been put through surgery and have lived in misery, after it. I know someone who ran a gull rescue and she had vets refusing to treat some of her rescue birds, because the quality of life would have been so poor, afterwards. They should do the same for pets.

I agree with you, but it’s such a difficult and personal decision I wouldn’t interfere. The only thing you would achieve is the loss of a friendship.

But if left to God the poor dog would probably have died a while ago. It’s man made medicine keeping it alive.