To think this is cruel?

[kcchiefette]

I have a friend who has 2 childhood dogs. One has already died to old age after becoming sick and she had taken it badly.

There is another one who became sick and is also old at 16. The dog cant walk and it shuffles. Theyve been told it has liver issues which will result in failure. Its at the vet every other day for an entire year.

They were told last night that its the end as the dog has stopped eating and drinking. They were given a choice to put down there and then but they said they would rather take dog back home and let dog slip away on its own.

AIBU to think that this is cruel?

The dog is old and suffered now for a year with bad health and its bound to be uncomfortable and in pain.

I have tried to give some advice but she is adamant the family wants the dog at home to pass away.

It is an awful and cruel thing to do, I did it to my dog, let him die at home a couple of weeks after he really should have been PTS and I will regret letting him down like that for the rest of my life. I'll never own another dog either because I really don't deserve it after that.
They will regret it one day when they can look back and see, but you can't force them to see that now sadly and the dog will be the one who suffers for it.

They do the same with humans every day. What is different about letting a dog do it?

At the individual level, not much. The difference is the stakes of legislation. Most people, including most doctors, and including me, are in favour of human euthanasia in principle. The problem is that legalizing it opens the door to a lot of problems. At present, the law of the land considers natural death (which can be managed, but should not be romanticised) a lesser evil than the potential abuses that could result from euthanasia.