Since Cathy dropped off Molly (farm piglet) and told me she was going to have her euthanized if a home couldn’t be found because she didn’t want her going to slaughter, I’ve been thinking. And that can be a little dangerous. LOL

Why is it that we want to paint such a pretty colorful picture of killing a pet by calling it euthanasia?  The word euthanasia comes from the phrase “to stop suffering”. How can a pet who is playful and healthy be euthanized?  Do we do it to make ourselves feel better?  Is it easier to do if we don’t say we are going to kill our pet?

PLEASE DON’T READ THIS WRONG.  I’m not talking about euthanizing a pet if it is suffering. That is when we should do it. What I’m talking about is in my county alone over 8,000 pets were euthanized last year because they were abandoned, given up, dumped, or mean and aggressive. The number of animals euthanized in the US is unthinkable. Yet we have people daily who refuse to spay and neuter. We have pets dumped and abandoned or abused all in the name of love. What is wrong with us as humans?

It is time that many of us who can’t do a lot with rescuing and saving animals at least get busy writing letters or petitions to get some of our laws changed. The number of dogs and cats in the US that is euthanized is staggering and the pet pig is running right up behind.  I have to agree with Terry that when we know pet pigs are being euthanized in large groups, the media should be called in. This cannot and should not continue. People should have to see the faces of the dogs and cats and pigs that are being KILLED every day.

I am so mad at some of my family that still think breeding is ok. And it is for some. Those some’s should be that the person breeding take responsibility for the animals they bring into the world for their entire life. That means if they breed a litter of cats or dogs and give or sell them, it should be with the understanding that they want them back if it doesn’t work out at in any given point of their life. That means you stand the potential of getting back 6 to 8 dogs or cats that you sold as pups or kittens. Most people who allow breeding only want one or two yet will breed to make a dime.  My granddad always said it was a sin to buy or pay money for any dog and believe me he lived by that yet he had pets. Some pretty ones too. He never paid a dime for them but yet he took them in and trained them and used them on the farm.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I think I’ll euthanize my pet”, please ask them why they want to kill it.  Don’t paint a pretty picture of ending suffering if there is nothing wrong with the pet. Tell it like it is and call it killing. Tell them to volunteer a day at a kill shelter.

I look at Molly and think why kill her. It is true I can’t keep her but I don’t think I would want to kill a baby just starting out in life. Not that I don’t understand the reason of her not wanting to see it go to slaughter, but what is wrong with keeping it until a home could be found??? She never really tried, yet she keeps dogs and has one that is so aggressive it has to wear a muzzle? Wonder why she doesn’t want to kill it?  But kill a pig.  It ‘s just a pig…

Ok I’ll shut up. But sure have been thinking a lot.

— LFH