The Gift that Does NOT Keep on Giving

OK, I'll admit after receiving Nick, the 12 year old blind cat scheduled for euthanasia at a Manhattan Animal Shelter, my leanings are a tad skewed. I was an animal lover, perhaps at birth and will remain an animal advocate until the day I die. I worked in shelters briefly, enough to realize I could not bear the day in and day out incessant euthanasia of healthy dogs and cats. Their only crime, was being born into a world where there are not enough caring homes to provide for their needs. Owners of puppy mills will continue to breed animals indiscriminately until laws are enforced and they are run out of town and jailed.

Sadly I was googling for statistics on the numbers of cats and dogs euthanized in our shelters on an annual basis. I stumbled upon Google for Euthanasia. It is now a piece of cake for anyone with access to a computer to insert zip code and find one of several places where their pet can be destroyed, humanely. I think George Carlin would have used this in his act as an oxymoron. Humane euthanasia somehow makes it "OK" and lifts the guilt of destroying a healthy animal. This is what I call euthanasia for convenience. I drew a line the day I got out of veterinary school..never to be induced into euthanasia for convenience..For example. an owner has to move and cannot take his cats. They are brought to the veterinarian to be destroyed. or wind up at an animal shelter for the same. My former employer would euthanize any pet as long as he was paid for this service. It made me physically ill.

I learned in school decades ago that euthanasia was a gift, veterinarians possessed to allow them to relieve animal suffering, not to be used when an owner is ready to dispense with their pet. But selfish and ignorant owners who refuse to spay/neuter their pets has pushed us in another direction, that of pet over population. I urge everyone who is concerned pet owner to make sure you get your pet(s) spayed and neutered. If you know someone who is financially incapable of affording the surgery for their pet, get them in contact with a variety of organizations both privately and publicly funded.

Make it a Holiday gift to the world..the gift that does not keep on giving, spay and neuter PLEASE