BrokenWing Chronicles
Animal euthanasia
This article is about euthanasia of animals. For human euthanasia, see Euthanasia.
"Put to sleep" redirects here. For its literal meaning, see sleep or anaesthetic.
In falconry, "putting a hawk down" means putting it in a mews for a period, such as while it is moulting.
Animal euthanasia (Greek, "good death") is the act of inducing humane death in an animal. 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", "put down", "put out of his/her misery", or "sent away to the farm". Horses are euthanized if there is an intractable illness, or the horse has suffered a complicated injury.
Methods
Intravenous anesthetic
Pets are almost always euthanized via intravenous injection,[citation needed] typically a very high dose of a barbiturate such as pentobarbital. Unconsciousness, respiratory then cardiac arrest follow rapidly, usually within 30 seconds. Observers generally describe it as a quick and peaceful death. Sometimes the animal makes a gasping sound after the death, which is air being exhaled by the lungs. The animal may twitch for a moment or urinate.
Some veterinarians perform a two-stage process:
An initial injection that simply renders the pet unconscious and a second shot that induces death.
This allows the owner the chance to say goodbye to a live pet without their emotions stressing the pet.
For large animals, the volumes of barbiturates required are considered by some to be impractical, although this is standard practice in the US.
In some cases, shooting is considered appropriate.
Alternatively, for horses and cattle, other drugs may be available. Some specially formulated combination products are available such as Somulose (Secobarbital/Cinchocaine) and Tributame (Embutramide/Chloroquine/Lidocaine), which provide deep unconsciousness and cardiac arrest independently, with a lower volume of injection, thus making the process faster, safer and more effective.
Occasionally a horse injected with these mixtures may display apparent seizure activity prior to death, this may be due to premature cardiac arrest. However, if normal precautions (e.g. sedation with detomidine) are taken, this is a rare problem.
Anecdotal reports that long term use of phenylbutazone increase the risk of this reaction are unverified.
Inhalant (gas) anesthetic
Gas anesthetics such as isoflurane and sevoflurane can be used for euthanasia in very small animals (rodents, small birds, etc.). Animals are placed in sealed chambers where high levels of anesthetic gas are introduced. Death may also be induced by carbon dioxide once unconsciousness has been achieved by inhaled anaesthetic.
Cervical dislocation/Common practice in the Racing Pigeon Sport.
Cervical dislocation, or snapping of the neck, is a simple and common method of killing small rodents such as mice, and may be used on other small vertebrates such as rabbits. Performed properly it causes instant death, and it requires no equipment other than a pair of gloves for protection while handling the animal. With mice it involves holding the back of the head firmly and pulling on the hindquarters or tail until the neck snaps. This is the most common way of killing experimental lab mice. It is also recommended to household residents as a humane way of killing pest mice captured in nonlethal traps.
Intracardiac or intraperitoneal injection
When intravenous injection is not possible, euthanasia drugs such as pentobarbital can be injected directly into a heart chamber or body cavity.
While intraperitoneal injection is fully acceptable (although it may take up to 15 minutes in dogs and cats, an intracardiac (IC) injection may only be performed on an unconscious or deeply sedated animal. In California, IC injection on a fully conscious animal is a crime.
Shooting
Can be an appropriate means of euthanasia for large animals (e.g. horses, cattle) if performed properly. This may be by means of:
Free bullet
Traditionally used for shooting horses. The horse is shot in the forehead, with the bullet directed down the spine through the medulla oblongata, resulting in instant death.
The risks are minimal if carried out by skilled personnel in a suitable location.
Captive bolt
Commonly used for cattle and other livestock. The bolt is fired through the forehead causing massive disruption of the cerebral cortex. In cattle this merely stuns the animal, and death must be brought about by pithing or exsanguination. Horses are killed outright by the captive bolt, making pithing or exsanguination unnecessary.
Reasons for euthanasia,
Terminal illness - e.g. cancer
Rabies
Behavioral problems - e.g. aggression
Illness or broken limbs that would cause suffering for the animal to live with, or when the owner has insufficient financial reserves to pay for (or a moral objection to) treatment.
Old age - Deterioration to loss of major bodily functions. Severe impairment of the quality of life.
Lack of space - Some shelters simply do not have the available room to provide shelter for an abandoned animal.
Small animal 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 - this is virtually mandatory in the case of large animal euthanasia; except in the case of horse racing, where the injured animal is sometimes put down on the track.
Animal shelters
According to the American Humane Association, an estimated 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year. Out of 1,000 shelters responding to a survey, 2.7 million of 5.3 million animals or 64% were euthanized. 56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter shelters were euthanized. 15% of dogs and 2% of cats were reunited with their owners; 25% of dogs and 24% of cats were adopted. 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. Controversy exists, though, particularly in other shelters that end up with the unplaceable dogs from "no kill" shelters.
Hapless: The Wasted Lives of Houston Animals
http://soc.hfac.uh.edu/artman/publish/article_145.shtmlNo Kill/ Compainion Protection Act
http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/capa.htmlEuthanasia in the UK
http://www.horsevet.co.uk/euthanasia.phpAnimal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings. Animal rights advocates approach the issue from different philosophical positions, but they agree that animals should no longer be regarded as property, or used as food, clothing, research subjects, or entertainment, but should instead be viewed as legal persons and members of the moral community.
The idea of awarding rights to animals has the support of legal scholars such as Alan Dershowitz and Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School.Steven Wise, also of Harvard Law School, argues that the first serious judicial challenges to what he calls the "legal thinghood" of animals may only be a few years away, while Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby believes that the idea of animal rights has reached the stage the *bleep* rights movement was at 25 years ago.Animal law is now taught in 100 out of 180 law schools in the United States,and in eight law schools in Canada.The concept of animal rights is routinely covered in universities as part of applied ethics or philosophy courses; Robert Garner of the University of Leicester calls it the "new morality.In June 2008, Spain became the first country to introduce animal rights, when a cross-party parliamentary committee recommended that rights be extended to the great apes, in accordance with Peter Singer's Great Ape Project.
Critics argue that animals are unable to enter into a social contract or make moral choices, and therefore cannot be regarded as possessors of rights, a position summed up by the philosopher Roger Scruton, who writes that only human beings have duties and that "[the] corollary is inescapable: we alone have rights. An argument running parallel to this is that there is nothing inherently wrong with using animals as resources so long as they do not suffer unnecessarily, a view known as the animal welfare position.There has also been criticism, including from within the animal rights movement, of certain forms of animal rights activism, in particular the destruction of fur farms and animal laboratories by the Animal Liberation Front.
Thank You wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_rightsComparing rescue groups and shelters
There are two major difference between shelters and rescue groups. Shelters are usually run and funded by local government. Rescue groups are funded mainly by donations and most of the staff are volunteers. While some shelters put animals into foster homes, many are housed on site in kennels. Some rescue groups have facilities and others do not. Foster homes are heavily utilized in either case.
Adopting through a rescue group
Most rescue groups have strict adoption procedures that can include completing an application to adopt, checking a veterinary reference, conducting a phone interview, and conducting a home visit. Rescue organizations are usually all-volunteer organizations and survive on donations and adoption fees. The adoption fees usually do not cover the significant costs involved, which include traveling to pick up a dog in need, providing veterinary care, vaccinations, having it spayed or neutered, giving it any training necessary, and helping to socialize and feed it.
Depending on the animal, there may be a number of different things that can be done to make the transition from life at a rescue group to a home easier. Generally, rescue groups have basic information that will allow greater success in transitioning an animal. There are also numerous resources available in print and online for helping assimilate rescue dogs/cats into new homes.
A History of Animal Abuse by Humans
Cat-burning
Cat burning was a form of zoosadistic entertainment in 16th century Paris, France. In this form of entertainment, people would gather dozens of cats in a net and hoist them high into the air from a special bundle onto a bonfire. According to Norman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finally carbonized.
"It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes a fox was burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648 Louis the Fourteenth, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. At Metz midsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed in wicker cages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly at Gap, in the department of the Hautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire.
Thank You wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat-burningCategory:Hunting
The Great Blood Thirsty Hunter,
"We hunters are GREAT POPULATION CONTROL PEOPLE".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:HuntingThere was a time the hunter went out to kill an animal to feed his family, he gave thanks and prayers before the meal, today 2008, hunting is all about the bloody kill and nothing less, its the thrill of killing.
What percentage of animals at shelters are put to sleep?
56% of dogs and 71% of cats are euthanized at animal shelters.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_animals_at_shelters_are_put_to_sleep1.6 million pet owners put animal to sleep due to lack of pet insurance.
http://www.ukpetinsurancereview.com/news/16-million-pet-owners-put-animal-to-sleep-due-to-lack-of-pet-insurance/Exotic birds fall prey to foreclosure crisis.
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Real estate agent Jeffrey Dolfinger was making a routine occupancy check on a foreclosed home near Poughkeepsie, New York, when he made a heart-wrenching discovery: two bedraggled cockatiels nearly starved to death.
"We had entered into this wreck of a house, opened the door, where there sat two cockatiels with about a six-inch-high pile of bird feces under them," Dolfinger said. "I'm not a bird person, but I knew a bird is not supposed to look this way."
Despite terrible bird allergies, Dolfinger gathered them up and brought them to a pet store specializing in birds. A woman at the store nursed them back to health.
The pair of cockatiels represents a little-known side of the foreclosure crisis: exotic birds abandoned or dropped at shelters because their owners cannot move into an apartment or a relative's home with the sometimes noisy creatures.
No group tracks such cases, but animal rescue groups say they're becoming inundated with calls from people who lost their houses desperately trying to find a new home for their macaw or cockatoo.
Adding to the problems of finding new homes is the life span of the birds, which can run from 20 years for a cockatiel to between 50 and 80 years for the larger birds.
"There are easily 8 to 10 calls a week here" because of foreclosure problems, said Judy Sawin, who with her husband runs Avian Retreat in Seattle, a sanctuary for abandoned or homeless exotic birds.
"Not only are people in unfortunate situations, but this is throwing birds into terrible situations."
Many owners try to take their exotic birds to an animal shelter but most shelters are not equipped to house birds, Swain says, because they are built to handle mainly dogs and cats, who are also being abandoned in large numbers because of foreclosures.
DIFFICULT TO CARE FOR
Intelligent, lively birds like parrots, cockatoos and cockatiels can be time-consuming to care for, loud, and destructive to themselves or their surroundings if neglected or mistreated, she said.
Sawin, who also works full-time at a construction management company, is caring for 25 birds, which amounts to almost another full-time job.
"That's way more than what we want to have," said Sawin, who also screens potential owners willing to adopt birds. "What we try to do here is take the ones nobody else will take, like a cockatiel with one foot."
Mollywood, another sanctuary for exotic birds in Washington state, also has been inundated by birds left homeless after their owners lost their houses. Located near Bellingham, Washington, it is now home to 400 exotic birds.
"I've definitely seen a higher turnover of birds in the last six months than I have in a long, long time," said sanctuary owner Betsy Lott, who has fostered birds for 15 years.
"It's really sad -- you can tell these people are really struggling. For some, it's like losing a child," she said. "But they know they can't live out of a car with a bird.
"It's really hard, and it's really heartbreaking."
Choosing the Right Pet Bird,
If you decide that you would like to get a bird, check with your local animal shelter before getting one from a pet store, the Internet, or a classified ad in the newspaper. Many shelters today are not limited to just dogs and cats, and have plenty of birds who are looking for new homes. Go to
www.Pets911.com or
www.PetFinder.com to search for adoptable birds at animal shelters and bird rescue groups in your area.
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/rabbit_horse_and_other_pet_care/Choosing-the-Right-Bird.htmlNever Buy Animals From Pet Stores or Breeders,
Breeding Cruelty
Those who breed millions of dogs and cats each year for profit are contributing to the companion animal overpopulation crisis. Every newborn puppy or kitten means one home fewer for a dog or cat desperately waiting in a shelter or roaming the streets.
And now e can add exotic birds to the growing list!
http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_petstore.aspLocal Animal Rescue is for the Birds,
Lancaster County, Pa. - You've heard the saying: "Birds of a feather flock together." But it takes on a different meaning for one Lancaster County woman.
She's known as "mom" to many.
"I don't know what peace and quiet is anymore," said Jo Lease. "I can't wake up in the morning and have a cup of coffee without these guys screaming, because they know mommy came down the steps and she's wide awake. It's nonstop."
Jo's on the go, parenting parakeets to parrots. She provides shelter and a new life for birds burdened with a past. Think of Jo as the "big bird" of Lair of Dragons Bird Rescue, a safe haven she started six years ago.
Soon, many of the birds will be ready for adoption, and the family has strict requirements because it takes a lot to raise one of these guys. They need a lot of love and attention, a proper diet and plenty of exercise to thrive. And like people, they can be picky.
"Out of 50 applications, maybe only two will qualify for a certain bird," said Jo. "And that's because I get to know them, their likes and dislikes - women, children, dogs, cats."
Jo will spend her life keeping her brainy birds happy.
"(They're) absolutely smart," said Jo.
And she'll continue to nurture them until they say "hello" to their new families.
http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/1108/573456.htmlBreeders continue to say..."its not our fault".
Pet Shops continue to say "its not our fault".
Humans continue to throw PETS lives around as if they have no value saying "its not our fault".
Even the word itself (euthanasia) is the humans way of (making it appear to be okay).
I recently sent out a e-mail asking a shelter how many animals they have killed so far this year, I am still wondering why, why, I have not received an answer....maybe I should have used the Proper word (euthanasia).
Maybe the FAULT is within the animals, they seem to be paying the ultimate price, they pay with there lives.
I have edited this thread, I am usually not this nice when it comes to harming any animal.
I have placed my anger on hold, I do not wish to upset any member of this forum.
I have reached the point of making people (upset) in my quest to end there suffering, this is the level I have reached to try and help them.
I do not take baseball bats and harm humans to get my point across, I do not blow up cars or break into labs and destroy other peoples property.
I use words, I use reasoning, to those that turn and walk away, I will jump in front of them with a picture so they can see, this is all I can do.
Then I have a breakdown, and the phone rings "can you come and get this bird?".
BrokenWing
