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Re: [RC] guns/euthanasia/responsibility - Lif Strand

At 09:27 AM 12/28/2005, Sisu West Ranch wrote:
In Montana/Idaho where I live it is not hard to find yourself in a place where help is a 2 day ride each way from where you are, and the cell phones do not work.

In western NM where I live you can stay home and still be 100 miles or more from a vet - if you ride out into the National Forest or onto BLM land, you'll just be that much further. Occasionally cell phones work, but iIt doesn't matter if a vet could be called, because there is no vet around here who can afford to leave his/her practice for so long to come that far.


Therefore, you do your own veterinary work around here, including euthanasia, or call a neighbor who can do it. Having had to do the deed myself twice - once for a horse that broke her leg less than 100 ft. from my door - I can tell you that it is not a lightweight decision to choose to have a gun and being willing and able to use it. it has made me think very seriously about life, death, and the responsibilities of horse (and all critter) ownership. I have a horror of having to administer the bullet, but my decision has been that I will not cause a horse of mine to suffer one second more than it has to while in my care.

Being the one who has to make the life/death decision means being educated in how to use the gun safely, how to put an animal down efficiently, and not only being clear about when it is appropriate to do so, but living with it afterwards. It's the living with it afterwards that is tricky, at least for me, and knowing this, I have spent much time pondering the responsibilities one has to critters, and the need for stepping up to the line and acting when it is called for. I believe it is important for us all to think long and hard about our responsibilities to the critters in our care. They have fewer choices than we do, so it is up to us to fully understand what the choices are and why we make them.



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Replies
[RC] guns, larry Miller
Re: [RC] guns, Truman Prevatt
Re: [RC] guns, Joe Long
Re: [RC] guns, Truman Prevatt
Re: [RC] guns, Sisu West Ranch