Animal euthanasia

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This article is about euthanasia of animals. For human euthanasia, see Euthanasia.

Animal euthanasia (Greek, "good death") is the act of inducing humane death in an animal.[1] Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress.

In pet animals, this process is commonly referred to by the euphemisms "put to sleep" or "put down".

Contents

[edit] Methods

[edit] Intravenous anesthetic

Pets are almost always euthanized via intravenous injection, typically a very high dose of a barbiturate such as pentobarbital. Unconsciousness, respiratory then cardiac arrest follow rapidly, usually within 30 seconds to several minutes later. Observers generally describe it as a quick and peaceful death.

Some vets perform a 2 stage process...an initial injection that simply renders the pet unconscious, and a 2nd shot that induces death. This allows the owner the chance to say goodbye to a live pet without his or her high emotions stressing the pet.

[edit] Inhalant anesthetic

Gas anesthetics such as isoflurane and sevoflurane can be used for euthanasia. Typically gas chambers, where animals are placed in a large locking metal box together where a poisionous gas is fed in.

[edit] Heartstrike

Heartstrike is a method where the animal is struck in the heart with a needle.

[edit] Reasons for euthanasia

  • Terminal illness - e.g. cancer
  • Behavioral problems - e.g. aggression
  • Stray and feral animal overpopulation - not enough adoptive homes

[edit] Who does euthanasia?

Euthanasia is typically performed in a veterinary clinic or hospital, or in an animal shelter, and is usually carried out by a veterinarian, or a veterinary technician working under the vet's supervision. Often animal shelter workers are trained to do euthanasia as well. Some veterinarians will perform the euthanasia at the pet owner's home.

[edit] Animal shelters

Main articles: Animal shelter and No-kill Shelter

According to the American Humane Association, an estimated 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year. The majority of these are euthanized at animal shelters, typically after a standard period of time (ranging from several days to several weeks for unclaimed stray animals).

"No kill" shelters exist, some run by private animal welfare organizations, while others are subsidized wholly or in part by local government agencies or private donations. These shelters make it official policy never to euthanize animals for non-medical reasons.

Supporters of traditional shelters that perform euthanasia argue that while millions of pet-quality animals are being euthanized every year, no-kill shelters are siphoning money that could be used for these animals or for neutering programs. No-kill shelters tend to accumulate animals with chronic health problems, behavior problems, and other conditions that make them poorly suited for adoption. Animals can stay there for years, in conditions that equate to human life imprisonment, while scores of other animals are euthanized because there is no shelter space available.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia

[edit] External links

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