Gee I didn't know that

Someone who works there told me that in this private animal hospital
they euthanized
a dog today that was a "problem" for its owners. Something vague about
tearing up
the inside of a house. Is this legal, that private hospitals can
euthanize animals at
their own discretion for an over-the-counter fee?

sighthounds & siberians...

They're not euthanizing animals "at their own discretion". They're
euthanizing them at the owners' request. Yes, it's legal. Some
veterinarians refuse to do it, but the owners will most likely just
take the animal somewhere else. What would you suggest the animal
hospital do?

Mustang Sally

edswoods.1...

Did I suggest in any way that I was suggesting anything?
Otherwise you answered my question.

starrkssd...

that is horrible! and should not be legal! i cant imagine what kind of
person vet would do that! i used to think people get into caring for
animals becasue of their love for them, wow was i wrong:-( people are
the most agressive and heartless animals it seems:-(

sighthounds & siberians...

Get a clue. It's the owners you need to be ranting about, not the

Rocky...

Again, you're giving such pet owners more credit than they're
due. Many owners who have made up their minds as to a
euthanasia of convenience aren't easily swayed. They will
simply go to another vet rather than give up their dog to
someone else and see themselves proved wrong as to their
decision.

I had a talk with Friday's vet about this subject. He won't do
conveniece euthanasia and is willing to lose clients, rather
than sleep, over it.

sighthounds & siberians...

There are a lot of vets who won't. But to suggest that it should be
illegal for a vet to euthanize in such situations, or that it is the
responsibility of veterinarians to find homes for unwanted animals, is
misguided.

Paula...

If nothing else, there is the issue that if the vet won't do it, the
owner can dump the dog at the local dog pound where it will probably
end up being euthanized anyway, only after being scared and miserable
in a shelter environment for a while in the meantime. I don't think I
would do convenience euthanasia were I a vet, but I certainly would
understand those that did, at least in an area like mine where there
is no way to find homes for all the unwanted dogs so death is going to
be the result anyway. Better for the owner to pay the cost and the
dog to be more comfortable.

sighthounds & siberians...

At our local shelter, when people wanted to drop their dogs off to be
euthanized, the shelter manager would tell them to be responsible and
take their dogs to their own vet. Yes, in the overwhelming majority
of cases, taking a dog with a behavior problem to the local shelter is
not going to save its life.

Mustang Sally

Mustang Sally

vets.

Mustang Sally