Would you want your pet euthanised if you died?

[Seziah]

I saw a Facebook ad about the Blue Cross’s service where you sign up for free and they take in your pet after you die with an aim to rehome. More than one person commented that they have it in their will that they want their pet to be put to sleep when they die so it can (in their words) go with them.

I’ve never heard of this before and I’m a bit shocked! It sounds selfish and cruel to me, unless the animal is old or unwell. I’m an atheist and don’t believe in an afterlife so maybe others think differently, but I’d want my cats to live on without me. Is it even enforceable - would a vet put a healthy animal to sleep? Have you heard of this before and/or is it what you’d want for your pets?

Also, if you voted yes if elderly or unwell - who will decide if your pet is old or unwell enough?

I have a friend who will have a somewhat ageing and very clingy cocker spaniel PTS because she doesn’t think she would be happy elsewhere. Seems kind and realistic to me, although sad if the dog is still reasonably healthy. There are too many older dogs that can’t be rehomed as it is.

I've left provision in my will for mine to be looked after if we both go before our dogs.

I absolutely wouldn't want a healthy animal PTS because of my passing; unless it was suffering mental torment.

The Cinnamon Trust (Welcome to The Cinnamon Trust - The Cinnamon Trust) will also support older pets whose owners have passed away and there are no takers.

If DH and DS x2 are alive, then any pet would go to them, but if I had no-one, I'm really not sure. My late DDog was my absolute world and I'd hate (ok I wouldn't know) that he was going off to live with a stranger, but I'm a soppy tart like that.

As it is, Ddog ashes will be coming with me when it's my turn.

I don't think it's necessarily selfishness and wanting them to go with you, it can be because you can't guarantee the life they'll have with you not there.

I have my Will through the Dogs Trust, and I have signed up for the dogs to be rehomed if I die. However, if I die soon ... my parents would take them on. But if my parents weren't around, and the dogs were very old and unwell, I am not sure they could take the stress of being rehomed, so it would be kinder to PTS.

I have a provision in my will that in the event of my death mine will be set free to live in the wild.

If I die my youngest DS is having my 2 cats. He loves them very much. DH will keep our 2 dogs. I'd never want to deprived them of their lives if I died.

I genuinely dont think one of my dogs could cope without me. Although I haven't put it in my will that she is to be euthanized, I really hope my dc would make a decision in her best interests if she really wasn't coping.

The other one would trade me in for a bit of liver so she would be fine.

My dog is a nightmare, I’ve made it clear to loved ones that if they don’t feel they can take him on he is to be put to sleep.
I wouldn’t wish the torture on him of trying to rehome a difficult dog.

Our wills say who would look after our dog if we were to die. However I have discussed with this friend what would happen if our dog wasn’t able to cope.

My dog died earlier this year but if anything had happened to me first I would have had her rehomed with Dogs Trust. It didn't actually occur to me to arrange her to be put to sleep, but I was worried as i knew she would find it very difficult to cope if anything happened to me. I'm very relieved that she went first. I want her ashes to be scattered with mine when the time comes.

This has just reminded me of a wonderfully bonkers thing in the US -- pet care/relocation services for fundamentalist Christians who believe in The Rapture (ie, the Second Coming happens and all the righteous disappear from earth at one feel swoop and go to heaven), abandoning their pets.

The service says that, for an unspecified fee, after receiving credible, substantiated news (!) that The Rapture has actually occurred, it will send its crack team of agnostic pet relocators to pick up your pet and take it to one of three people you have nominated. It specifies you have to nominate three people 'in case of last minute conversions'.

And I'm assuming they specify that their team is agnostic because they have to be (1) not themselves magically transported to heaven in The Rapture and (2) not the kind of filthy atheists that fundamentalist Christians want to spend time with Fido.

I think every dog has the potential to find a happy second home even if the owner doesn’t think they can do I don’t think they should offer this service at all tbh-I’d guess they’re having to rehire a lot of animals when their owner dies but that should be the service they offer instead of looking for an out!!!

We had about 5 dogs on my list (2 have died recently) that if their owners die,i will take them in

They know us,they will be happy with us and we will love them just as much as their owners do

Ds has this written into his will and has set aside money for his dog (to come to us) in case the worst does happen to him (he asked us before he got the dog and wouldn't have got him if we said no,his back-up plan is about 4 friends)

Would I want to see a healthy dog put down?
No

Does it depend on a lot of circumstances?
Yes

There is no easy answer to this,it's what's best for the dog

No way. My younger kitty loves everyone and would do well anywhere and the 16 year old would do really well with a quiet elderly couple who loved her. I dont feel I have the right to end their lives because they are both healthy.

M first thought was absolutely not. I have family who would take my dogs.

but then I look at my older dog and if he had deteriorate physically by then I’m not sure it would be fair if he is also completely miserable (he loves me most in the world). But I do think it would only be in combination with ill health.

younger dog would be fine being rehomed 🤣

I took my mum's cat in when she died. I wouldn't have given it a second thought and would have taken a dog in too, had she had one.

I would nominate a trusted friend who knew the pet well to make that decision.

I've got an outdoor cat and as long as he was rehomed to a similar environment I would want him to live. I don't think he would cope well in a cattery or other caged setup. He's very active and young and also loves human interaction. So it would depend on whether he could have a happy life.

Our wills state who will take our dog if we were both to die and there is a ring fenced amount of money that goes with him for his care. There are two different people named in case the first one can't take him for any reason and both homes already have dogs so I think he would be happy. He's very confident and adaptable.

Anyone who thinks their pet should be put to death when they themselves die is fucking sick in the head.

I would want my two elderly cats PTS, they have bonded to me and wouldn't cope with anyone else looking after them. When we moved they had to stay at families houses for a while and both of them kept biting their fur out and became very aggressive soon as they moved back in with me they were absolutely fine.

My other two cats would be rehomed.

I would generally agree, but rescue workers say over the last 5 years, there's so many evil people getting dogs then getting rid for no good reason, that there is hardly any space in centres, plus for an old/ill dog, it might be terrible for them.

Ideally, people should get their dog used to being looked after by a friend/relative who will take them in, so it's not a big shock for the poor thing, but obviously that's not always possible.

BTW, by evil, I mean people who get and give away a dog on a whim, like someone who just decides to move away and can't be bothered with a dog-I obviously don't mean a good person who gets ill, and is forced to give their dog up, or something.