Is Dog Euthanization an Alternative to Abandonment?

Ever since I wrote a series of articles on dog euthanization, I never expected these articles would be frequently read and searched for which inevitability hit our top 10 best topics here.

For whatever the reason this topic has aroused such great interest among dog owners, I pray it is for legitimate/humane cause. Unfortunately, upon further scrutiny I found some searches (lower double digit range) very alarming. I won’t go into details of the exact phrase they searched for as I couldn’t make myself writing them.

Dog Euthanization is NOT an Alternative to Abandonment.

Being a responsible dog owner necessitates a great deal of commitment. Though it doesn’t require intensive care and supervision as compare to raising children nonetheless all living creatures have their respective rights for living whether they articulate it or not.

Living in an advance society with multiple roles to fill, we inescapably get caught up with unexpected life challenges that require us to relocate and readjust our lifestyle. And when decision is drawn, usually dogs are not made to accommodate into the plan, sad but true. Sensible dog owners will do their best to rehome their dogs. Usually their first choice would be someone they know otherwise they could bring them to shelters. And if there are no vacancies available in shelters, the last resort is to bring the dog to local SPCA. They will treat your dog humanely, but there is no guarantee he can be rehomed. Therefore the chances to exercise euthanasia are very possible because there are thousands of unwanted animals received daily with no place to house more than a fraction.

While there may be a small fraction (my guessitmate) that some owners just got tired of the responsibilities or no longer love their dog (maybe the dog isn’t as cute as he was a puppy), they decided to take the above route. Then there are some just take things into their own hands by overdosing Phenobarbital.

Phenobarbital is commonly used on dogs and cats for treating seizure suppression. It is effective, safe if used responsibly, and is one of the least expensive medications in all of veterinary practice.

It is not for me to condone or condemn this doing but it would not be advisable for lay people to administer Phenobarbital to their dog be it in crucial or healthy condition. Consider these,

• Do you know how to locate the vein?
• Can you handle the syringe with steady hand?
• Do you know the amount of milligram to administer?

Please leave it in the hands of the vets. If the dog is already suffering a great deal of distress due to illness, the least you could do is to let him have his “comfort” way of leaving.

Dogs like all pets, must be obtained with forethought so that they will be loved all their lives; and if circumstances later make keeping the dog impossible, owners should do all in their power to find it another good home before resorting to dog euthanization.

Dogs are living things. Please do not toy with their lives.