Re: Cost of euthanasia

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Thu, 4 Feb 1999, C.M.Newell wrote:

> 	I will not  euthanize a healthy animal simply because the owner wants it
> done.

Just curious, why not?

And does this extend to animals that are 'vicious' (as in a dog) but are
otherwise healthy?

And if that is the case, what do you suggest be done with physically
healthy horses that nobody wants?

I have a couple of horses that only I would want (because of their
dispositions). It would be unsafe and unethical to sell/give them to
somebody else; and were something to happen to me (either financially or
physically) that made it impossible for me to continue to care for these
horses--there would be nobody else to do it (which is why I have the
horses in the first place).

Were something to happen to me, I am firmly of the opinion that the
kindest thing to do for these horses would be to have them humanely put
down. And I am very much of the opinion that it is extremely cruel to
place a horse in a new home (whether it be selling or giving away) that
is not suitable for that particular horse, since such horses just get
passed on and on and on. (Which is my definition of horse hell--far more
humane to send them straight to the killer than to have them get there via
20 different people's back yards).

It seems to me, that by refusing to humanely put down a healthy horse you
give the owner no other option but to sell it to the meat man (or worse,
sell it to somebody who doesn't know any better). As a trainer of problem
horses (who people call when they are at the end of their rope with a
horse that they can't handle, can't afford, and are deathly afraid of) I
am more than willing to help people make arrangements to have the horse
(no matter what its health) put down in a humane way (and spare the horse
endless years of misery...or three days in a trailer to Texas) if that is 
the most humane option for the horse.

I don't mean to suggest that you are wrong in your refusal to euthanize a
healthy horse, I am just curious as to why you do so and what is your
rationale behind that decision.

kat
Orange County, Calif.

p.s.  It never occurred to me that my vet would not euthanize my horse if
I asked him to, so I have never asked him to...but I can't imagine him
refusing (which is why I ask, since I would like to know if this is common
among veterinarians).