Many pet owners find themselves in a difficult situation where they have to decide if they should euthanize their pets. In which means the merciful killing of a living creature that is regarded as a mean of allowing the animal to die painlessly. However, being a part of the family and a great source of comfort, the decision to euthanize one's pet can be one of the hardest and most heart-breaking choices to make. Yet, is euthanasia the best choice to make for one's terminally ill pet?
The swift and painless release from the tormenting grips of terminal illnesses through euthanasia. A testimony on the article written by a veterinarian, "The Grieving Heart", a website which helps pet owners deal with the passing of their four-legged companions, states that euthanasia "is the right choice to make as pets are relieved from their agony through euthanasia.". The process of euthanasia mimics the feeling of falling into a deep sleep, which ensures that pets are freed from having to bear the pain of their illnesses and are able to spend their last moments in peace with their owners as the process of dying is not prolonged. The difficulty of trying to determining a pet's time of death tends to leave unanswered and worrying questions, for example "will the end come quickly?" or "will my pet's last moments be peaceful?". Euthanasia provides answers to these questions, as well as a sense of comfort as pet owners would know that their pets would pass on without suffering.
Euthanasia allows pet owners to have the opportunity to see their pets for the final time. As death tends to come without pre-empt or warning, euthanasia enables owners to have a chance to say goodbye to their faithful companions that has enriched their lives. This means that pet owners are able to whisper comforting words that fill their pets with the reassurance of their owner's love for them as they take their last breaths. This reassurance helps to comfort the pets as instead of leaving a pet to die in suffering without any source of comfort. However, should pet owners be the one deciding their pet's fate or should owners let nature take its course.
Owners with financial difficulties in terms of paying for their pet's medical bills are able to save the money spent on treatments for illnesses that take long periods of time to recover from through euthanasia. Even if the pet has the hope for recovery, the owner would need to foot hefty sums of money in order to provide it with life support as well as other treatments it needs. Since recovery from chronic illnesses takes a long time, the owner would be spending too much on his pet, and this might lead to financial difficulties for the owner, especially if he is not financially stable. Euthanasia enables the owner to not only save up money, but also to prevent debts from happening and building up while his pet goes through a more calm and painless way of passing on without having to suffer from the illness, hence reducing the prolonged suffering of the animal and easing the financial burden of the owner.
Although some might argue that euthanasia is akin to placing a death sentence on an animal or pet as these pets and animals might be able to recover from their illnesses and might still have the chance of survival. However, albeit the animal or pet have any chances of survival, the process of recovery might take a long time, adding on to the pain and trauma the pet is already experiencing physically and emotionally.
All in all, the choice to euthanize a pet still comes down to the owner's financial stability as well as decisions in their abilities to provide for their ill pet, which requires treatment and the ability to let go of their dying companion. However, would one choose to end their pet's suffering or allow it to live in total agony?