Mans best friend - shooting vs euthanasia

[def90]

Believe it or not some jurisdictions have laws against shooting your own pets and fall under the classification of animal cruelty law.

 

[Dos Perros]

I don't get why we engage in these logical fallacies to create fake dilemmas. This thread is a would-you-rather game for the macabre.

 

[mlchase]

Yikes. Interesting discussion. When you are separated from the moment, I guess I understand the question and logic about the topic. But when it is time, I can't imagine having the last moment be that - might be something that is more traumatic than you think.

I ask a lot of my bird dogs and they give me their everything. It's a relationship built with time and trust. I have had the vet come to my house twice and done the injections there and for me, that is the most dignified ending and the dogs deserved it. $200 was what it took and well worth the dignified experience.

I lost another dog last year in a tragic accident. He went through ice, couldn't get out. I went to save him, ended up in same situation. 22 min later, I got pulled out by some state troopers right before I was done for. They were too late for the dog. That ending was seen by me from the back of the ambulance window as I blacked out...an image I will never shake. To say I have replayed those 22 minutes thousands of times is an understatement.
Only point of sharing that was that while my traumatic situation was different, I can't imagine creating a traumatic ending for one of the dogs I have raised and trained.

 

[Ralphie]

I shot some of our horses, a dog, and a couple cats when it was their time.
They pretty much went instantly.

Ive also had a vet come to my house and put down my dog while I held her. And that’s how I’ll do it every time from now on with a dog barring some extreme case where there isn’t time for a vet. Then I’ll do it myself.

For whatever Reason with a horse it just seems different. Give them some grain and end it. They die instantly enjoying some grain.

 

[Scoot]

Believe it or not some jurisdictions have laws against shooting your own pets and fall under the classification of animal cruelty law.

That doesn't surprise me and is Fd up!

 

[Customweld]

I've put my fair share of animals down in my younger years. I had the vet come out to my house to put my Weim down. He was a friend and the last thing that I wanted to see was his eyes blown out of their sockets and his mangled head. Unless something happens to them in the field, the vet coming out to my house is how it will be from now on. No judgement for folks that want to do it their way, it just isn't for me any longer.

 

[CRJR45]

I took mine to the vet and gently petted him as he peacefully drifted away , worst day in a long time .
Don't do it yourself , trust me , you don't need that baggage .
I cremated Smitty , he is on the table next to me right now .

 

[sram9102]

In a non traumatic injury situation I can't imagine putting my own dog down. My 5 year old son has lived his entire life with our two labs and the three of them are basically one unit. We still hopefully have 5+ years with both of them. The boy has seen a lot of hunting and understands life and death but I have seen enough head shots to know that I don't want him having the possibility of seeing one of our two best friends going through the spasms that sometime occur at the end. Those two dogs have given my family everything and will get all of their favorite things on their last days with us.

 

[Dos Perros]

My kids were present for my Sage dog's passing. I gave them the choice and they decided they wanted to be there for their dog. I explained everything in kid terms and when the vet came they got to say their goodbyes and then were quiet and respectful "when the angels came to take him away."

I can't imagine trying to teach a young mind incapable of grasping nuance how to respect our friends by shooting them. Glad I don't have to.

 

[finner]

If you'd rather shoot your own dog than pay $200 for a vet to come put a needle in him, please stick to cats. Can't imagine doing that to an animal that has given me a decade+ of hard work and love

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Couple years back had to put my first dog down the day after Thanksgiving at 4 in the morning.

Had tried all the meds and they just stopped working.

Saddest part was he knew it was time. Got one last holiday with all the family, an extra side of turkey and plenty of belly rubs.

But his eyes broke my heart. I held him as he went, it is something that will stick with me to my own end.

He despised going to the vet. Think the smell reminded him of having to be left there a few times.

So that option was not on the table.

Will say it was one of hardest things I've ever done emotionally. But still feel I made the right choice.

 

[BarCO]

Not at all. Man ought to be able to do the hard things in life without pawning it off to someone else. But do whatever is easiest for you.

Shouldn’t it be more about the dog than you….

 

[idelkslayer]

Any Steinbeck fans in the house?

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Actual Vet weighing in here:

I think it really depends on your dog. If he's super stressed out when going into the clinic, thrashing/biting/snapping/lunging, then in that scenario, I think it would be best if you either have someone come to your house, or you handle it yourself. My father shot one of our dogs when I was growing up because he didn't want to have to take Freckles (Springer Spaniel) to the vet. Very stressful for her. She had liver cancer and wasn't doing great. He snuck up behind her while she was asleep sunning in a flower bed. Back of the head with a .45. Didn't flinch and was easiest for her.

On the other hand, he took a great Chocolate lab in to the vet after feeding her multiple Quarter pounders and she did fine as well.

I have gone to folks' houses, I have done it here in the clinic. There's no "one size fits all" to the process. My own personal dog gets stressed when she comes to the clinic, so when it's her time, I'll bring the drugs home.

I'd strongly suggest chatting with your vet to see what they are willing to do. I'm afraid that you'll find yourself regretting doing it yourself unless your dog fits the above criteria.

Sorry that you're in the situation to where it's time to think about it.

 

[aorams]

Where I am, the vet will come to your house and do it there. There’s no peaceful and painless way to shoot your dog in the head

 

[NB7]

This is your best friend you are talking about here in theory. How do you want your last moments with your best friend to go down? Do you want to end with an act of extreme violence? I've put down a few sheep in my day and strange stuff happens with bullets to the head sometimes. You don't want that to happen to your best friend.

We have a local vet here that will come to our house with an injection, they will do everything while the dog is surrounded by the people who love him and who he loves more than anything. It costs a few hundred bucks for this service.

Well said.
It's not like we're living in the days of a Steinbeck novel when the best available and most common method was shoot the dog. I've put several down now and held them as they faded away while on my lap. It never felt cheap to me because I was there and faced it and owned it with my grief. Didn't need to pull the trigger or push the plunger myself to make it any more direct.
Monetarily "cheap" never crossed my mind. The cost of the dog and a lifetime of care, including the final expense and the lifetime of enrichment from the dog's companionship? Well worth the few hundred bucks to send them on their way peacefully.

 

[ahlgringo]

Tough situation for sure, all I can say is- to each their own and every situation is different.

I lost my dog of a lifetime last year. He had lymphoma and was on the steady decline. One Saturday night was especially rough and early Sunday am his eyes told me all I needed to know- he was done, and suffering. Of course my vet was closed, I called 5 different of these "we come to your house" services. After waiting for an hour for a call back from any of them- the best they could do was that night. Sam was hurting and I wasn't gonna let him. Carried him out back laid him on his favorite blanket. We spent our last few moments reliving our adventures with me sitting next to him telling him what a good boy he was. Hardest thing I ever done in my life- honestly, but painless and instant- thank the man above.

That being said- I don't ever want to do that again, and even though I still think I did the right thing- it haunts me. I pray that circumstances are different the next time.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

If I had access to the necessary drugs to put an animal down painlessly and the medical knowledge required to ensure that he doesn't suffer in any way I would administer the shot myself. But I don't, and I'm guessing you don't either. You can act as tough as you want, this isn't about how tough YOU are, it's about the last moments of your dogs life. If you want to risk his last moments being a horror show of seizures and blood and bodily fluids coming out of your animal so that you can show how tough you are....well, that says a lot.

You’re looking at this quote oddly for a hunter and someone i presume has seen blood.

My grandfather put down all of his dogs. Euthanasia via vet is relatively new in comparison to how long man has kept dogs.

It’s not a tough guy thing it’s a necessity thing and some prefer to do it themselves. Just cause it offends you doesn’t make their way wrong. Just take yours to the vet.

BTW, the animal feels nothing no matter how much blood or unconscious muscle spasms occur, they’re not seizures.

 

[hunt1up]

My parents had a chihuahua they'd bought when I was still in my early teenage years and living at home. It wasn't a bad dog. I liked it but wasn't extremely close with it. My dad was never a huge dog person, more of a dog liker than dog lover. Well Sunny the dog got to about 15 years old and me and my siblings were grown and gone. He had just a few teeth and could barely see. It was getting to be that time. One day we stopped at my parents and Sunny was gone. For whatever reason my dad decided he'd take care of it himself and gave the dog some food and went with the .22 to the head plan. My dad never fully explained to us how it went down, but I guess the death wasn't instant and it was a pretty graphic scene. My dad would just say that he didn't want to talk about it.

I've got no problem taking ownership of my actions but I don't see the benefit of putting down our current dog with a gun. If I had no other option then certainly, but we've got other options.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Damn, what a thread.
I COULD NOT even imagine doing that to my best friend in the entire universe. If I had to because of traumatic circumstances, you bet.
But if it is their time, they deserve a very peaceful goodbye. I can't even get through this without tears......

Randy