Could You

[nailit]

put an animal down?
Just been talking to a friend about pets weve had over the years and thought back to how I've put down sick or injured pets and animals. I worked on a farm in my younger days and have had to wring many an injured or sick chickens neck. I've also put down kittens, gerbals, hamsters, birds and other small animals when needed. Had to kill a rabbit once that had a broken back. Never pleasant but always necessary. Funny, but there are some animals that I couldnt kill, puppies for instance.
could you/have you put an animal down? Is there an animal that you couldnt?

[Retrochic]

If you mean personally rather than the usual taking to the vet yes. I've had to put a kitten down (shot it) as it got ran over in the yard and we were 30 miles from nearest vet and it was well beyond help. I could never, ever wring a birds neck and if I had to kill my own meat I would be vegetarian.

[queenofmean]

Nope I couldn't :(

[andy-hughes]

If it was a scenario of running over something miles from anywhere and the choice was to leave it suffering, or put it down, then I would put it down, but I would not find it at all easy.

But we as the higher species have to be humane and not leave any animal suffering if it can be avoided.

[237SJ]

No, I couldn`t but I might think differently if I had no choice. I remember when a feral cat had three kittens in my Grans shed at the top of the field behind her house. They were as wild as anything but I used to like to go and see them. I couldn`t understand when I went to see them one day and they weren`t there. Apparently, my Gran had wrung their necks.

[Old_Geezer]

It depends on the circumstances. I'd not relish doing so but hope I could find it in me were the need to arise. Hopefully I'll never be in that position.

[nailit]

The animals Ive put down have been dispatched with one blow to the head with a hammer. (apart from my farm work). In every case I didnt want to do it but it saved the animal from further suffering. Funny thing, ive had animal rights kind of people, tell me what a **** I am for doing what I did. A bit ironic really as I went on to work for the RSPCA.
No pleasing some folk.

[Daffy6543]

Never by wringing it's neck. I can't help but think some of those you killed this way did not need or deserve it. I bet the kittens killed were just an unwanted litter for a start.

My dad once drowned a litter of puppies in a belfast sink filled to the brim and a wooden chopping board to push them under the water, he made us 4 daughters watch from start to finish then we had to dispose of the bodies. Strangely he never felt the need to make our 3 brothers also watch :-/

[Zacs-Master]

So that's fa**y magnet and animal dispatcher to add to your CV. And that's just what you've told us today!

[nailit]

//I can't help but think some of those you killed this way did not need or deserve it.// Eh?
The kitten in question was severly injured, the rest of the litter were given (not sold) to loving homes. Please dont tar me with the same brush as your father.

[nailit]

LOL Zac, it appears so.

[kvalidir]

Yes I could and have killed animals that were suffering when I've encountered them and I don't feel bad about that because it was the right thing to do for the animal. I'm also not against killing things to eat. Would I differentiate between one type of animal and another in terms of feeling bad about killing it? No, everything's life is equally important, which is why I don't kill spiders just because I'm scared of them. so fluffy kitten or snake, it's all the same to me, if they are suffering I'd kill them, but I don't kill unnecessarily.

[nailit]

//I can't help but think some of those you killed this way did not need or deserve it.//
Daffy, where in my post did you get that from?

[nailit]

kvalidir, interesting because I cant bring myself to kill a spider either. In fact I hate killing anything unnecessarily, always open the window to let a fly or wasp out and often throw a worm back on the grass on a rainy day. Dont understand Daffys vitriol towards me for dispatching a suffering animal.

[Prudie]

No I don't think I could, I'd find it very traumatic. Sorry nailit but my perception is the RSPCA put down more animals than any other group in the country so I don't get the irony.

[nailit]

Thats your preogative Prudie. My experiance was different,
Still waiting for Daffy to explain her vitriol tho.

[corylus]

It broke my heart to tell the vet to KILL my sparky little terrier in March, he had developed a spinal problem (age 14) and I still miss him so much. Still have another dog (Labrador) but he's not got the same boisterous personality as the terrier, who was up for everything etc. despite his age.

[askyourgran]

I couldn't kill an animal even more so if I had to hold it to wring it's neck. I still feel bad allowing the vet to put down my old cat. I catch moths that fly in and let them out of the window or door. But have no qualms of swatting flies.

[paddywak]

I grew up in country and I regularly shot for the pot from a very early age learning how to finish off wounded birds etc so it wouldn't bother me a great deal.Dogs though are a different matter I still get upset about the thought of taking my dogs to the vets even when I knew it was time.

[Retrochic]

my OH shot his old frail dog rather than take it to the vets to be put down as he said it was kinder. He wrapped it in its fav. blanket and one shot dispatched it. He would,nt have his horse shot though -he had the vet come and euthanised the horse by injection -he was upset for days.

[Canary42]

I wonder how many who shy away from euthanasing animals quite happily let their darling puddycats slaughter songbirds.