Euthanasia means the humane destruction of am animal accomplished by
a method which produces rapid unconsciousness and subsequent death without
evidence of pain or distress. Every year over 75,000 domestic animals
(cats, dogs, birds and rodents) are euthanized in Michigan alone. What
gives us the right to say whether or not an animal can live?
Animals should not be euthanized for nothing more than being alive
and not having a home. We don't euthanize children that are homeless.
Animals and children are similar in the respect that they both, for the
most part, depend on us adults to care for and guide them. Animals that are
terminally ill or too old and can no longer live without assistant I can
see being put down. The main reason animals are put to sleep is due to
overcrowding in shelters and humane societies. The other main reason is
aggressiveness, where the animal is no longer able to be rehabilitated, and
is a threat to other animals and humans. I think that if shelters and
humane societies didn't charge a lot to adopt an animal and educated the
communities around them on animals they would have a higher adoption
percentage.
So to face the facts Euthanasia is a problem. We need to educate
ourselves and those around us on the efficiency of spaying and neutering
our animals. Euthanasia can be avoided if everyone was aware of the
horrible effects it has.
