Euthanasia ???

1
Euthanasia???

• Module 20
• ??20

2
This module will enable you to????????

• Identify some aspects of the potential for
  welfare problems when an animal is
  euthanased??????????????????
• To identify which social, cultural, economic and
  legal influences affect the quality of an
  animals death???,??,??,????????????????
• To include the clients perspective in the
  process of euthanasia?????????????

3
Slaughter vs. euthanasia?? vs.???

• Slaughter ??
• The killing of animals for market or to control
  disease ????????????????
• Should be humane ?????
• Euthanasia ???
• Greek eugood, thanatosdeath ??? ? ? ?? ???
• Humane by definition ?????
• An act of mercy ?????
• When animal has an incurable illness ?????????
• When rescue or treatment is impossible ????????
• Not all mercy killing is euthanasia
  ??????????????

4
What makes a good death?????????

• Some people argue that suffering is a feature of
  life, and that prevention of suffering by
  shortening life is unnatural?????????,?????????(un
  natural)
• Others have concluded that it is possible for
  suffering to reach a point at which humane
  killing can be justified, to end the
  suffering?????????????????
• It is this justified end to suffering by
  humane killing which is the basis of a good
  death???????????????? (justify?humane??????)

5
Common criteria for euthanasia of individual
animals????????????

• Severely injured animals?????
• Animals with terminal conditions in which
  suffering is likely or cannot be prevented
  ???????????
• Aggressive animals???????
• Aged animals where there are no resources for
  their needs?????????????

6
Common criteria for euthanasia of groups of
animals????????????

• Strays - when there are insufficient resources to
  provide a reasonable quality of
  life????---????????????????
• Planned population control?????????
• For the greater good of the remaining
  population?????????
• Not an effective control strategy?????
• Legal responsibility, with some diseases e.g.
  foot and mouth disease??????????
• Laboratory animals????

7
Who decides? ?????
The owner may decide ??????
8
Who decides? ?????
The animal may be suffering ????????
9
Who decides? ?????

Slaughter required by law ???????
10
Who decides? ?????

• Local authorities may decide that stray animal
  numbers must be reduced
• ??????????????????

11
Philosophies on animal death?????????

• Buddhism??
• One of the five precepts of the Dhammapada???????
• He who destroys life digs up the very roots of
  his life. ?????????????????
• Hindu verse ???
• He who kills a cow will rot in hell for as
  many years as there are hairs on the
  cow.???????????????????

12
Philosophies on animal death?????????

• Islam??
• -There is not an animal on earth, nor a
  flying creature on two wings, but they are people
  like unto you. ??????,???????????????,??????????
• Christianity -- St Francis of Assisi ???
• Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first
  duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We
  have a higher mission to be of service to them
  whenever they require it. . ???????????????????
  ?,???????????????????,???????,???????????

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Ethical questions in euthanasia????????

• Are animals disposable??????????
• Do we have a responsibility to provide animals
  with quantity of life, as well as a reasonable
  quality of life??????????????????????
• Does the age at euthanasia matter if there is no
  suffering????????????????
• Humans can give animals a good
  death????????????
• Is a good death optional or an animal need?
  ???????????????

14
Examples of cultural approaches to
killing????????

• Until the introduction of the 1998 Animal
  Protection Bill in Taiwan, stray animals were
  killed by bulk drowning??1998???????,
  ???????????
• A number of countries use dog shooting days as
  a means of eliminating unwanted or stray
  animals?????????? ???????, ?????????

15
An ideal method of euthanasia??????????

• The animal can be restrained with little
  distress?????????????
• The method of euthanasia??????
• Is aesthetically acceptable to operator and
  client??????????????
• Can be administered competently by the staff
  available?????????????????
• Presents a low risk to the operator?????????
• Produces a dead body which can be disposed of
  safely?????????????
• Is cost-effective ????

16
Intravenous barbiturate overdose??????????????

• Legal aspects???
• Barbiturates are controlled substances in the
  countries where they are used, but in many
  countries their use is illegal????????????????,???
  ??????
• The bodies of euthanased animals must be disposed
  of safely as they contain barbiturates????????????
  ??????????

17
Captive bolt stunning followed by pithing or
exsanguination???????????

• In some countries, routine use of captive bolt
  equipment is restricted to licensed slaughter
  personnel, but mercy killing may be carried out
  by any person
• ?????????????????,?????????????

18
Non-penetrating percussive stunning followed by
exsanguination?????????

• In some countries, routine use of captive bolt
  equipment is restricted to licensed slaughter
  personnel, but mercy killing may be carried out
  by any person. Exsanguination is of limited use
  in humane killing of animals in outbreaks of some
  infectious diseases.
• ?????????????????,????????????

19
Electrical stunning followed by exsanguination or
electrocution?????

• Use of electrical stunning for routine killing is
  restricted to licensed slaughtermen in many
  countries, and use of trained personnel for this
  equipment in humane killing of pigs or sheep in a
  disease outbreak would be required. Use of this
  method is limited by the electric current
  supply.??????????????????????????????????????????
  ???

20
Percussive killing of small mammals, birds and
fish???????????????

• The use of percussive killing of laboratory
  animals is regulated e.g. the UK Animal
  Scientific Procedures Act, 1986
• ????????????????? ??????????1986

21
Free bullet pistol shooting????

• Horses and donkeys???
• When barbiturate overdose is not
  possible, the use of a
  free bullet pistol provides an
  aesthetically
  acceptable and humane method of
  killing ????????????,?????????????????
  ??????

22
Free bullet rifle shooting?????

• In many countries, ownership and use of firearms
  is regulated?????,???????????
• Repetitive rifle with a silencer is the best
  option if several animals must be killed
• ???????????????????????

23
Use of a shotgun for emergency euthanasia????????
?????

• In many countries, ownership and use of firearms
  is regulated
• ?????,???????????

24
Euthanasia of stranded cetaceans????????

• Best method for euthanasia is not always apparent
  ????????????
• Small cetaceans??????
• Overdose of
  etorphine or
  barbiturates
• ????????
• ??????
• Shoot in the head
  with a rifle
• ??????

25
Euthanasia of stranded cetaceans????????

• Larger cetaceans??????
• No reliable method of euthanasia is
  available???????????
• Stranded whales do not usually survive even if
  they are put back in the watercompromised
  circulation???????????????

26
Neck dislocation of birds?????

• Neck dislocation or neck pulling is widely used
  in killing of birds but is not ideal
• ????????????, ????????

27
Unacceptable methods of euthanasia??????????

• Freezing??
• Drowning??
• Starvation??
• Suffocation??/??
• Immersion in ethanol???
• Use of non-specialist microwave equipment???????

• Intra-peritoneal barbiturate injection (in
  general)??????????
• Gassing (poison gas, or anoxia- inducing gas e.g.
  CO)?????
• Decapitation (in general)??(???)

28
Acceptable methods of euthanasia?????????

• For individual animals that can be adequately
  restrained intravenous barbiturate is
  recommended (particularly for stray dogs and
  cats)?????????????????????(????????)
• For horses and donkeys???
• Barbiturate overdose??????????
• Free bullet pistol shooting??

29
Acceptable methods of euthanasia ?????????

• Large animals on farm?????
• Use of a race or crush for restraint??????
• Captive bolt stunning followed by bleeding or
  pithing??
• Large animals which are free??????????
• Accurate head, heart or high neck
  shooting?,?,????,????
• Large groups in disease outbreaks (poultry,
  pigs)????????(???)
• Stunning followed by exsanguination??(???)???

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Euthanasia and client communication???????????

• Deciding to end an animals life can be a very
  difficult decision for a client???????????????????
  ????
• Give the owner time to make the decision?????????
• Empathise????
• Discuss the factors leading to the decision to
  euthanase??????????
• Explain exactly what is involved, including the
  disposal of the body??????????,???????
• Dont judge?????

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Euthanasia and client communication???????????

• Schedule the procedure so that there is time?????
• to talk and explain??????
• to carry out the process without rushing????????
• Client guilt and grief???????
• Normal??
• The client should feel that their animals life
  (and death) was important, and that the
  euthanasia was not just routine????????????(?)???,
  ???????????

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Summary ??

• In deciding on euthanasia, different criteria may
  be applied depending on???????,?????????
• the use of the animal???????
• whether the animal is treated as an individual or
  part of a group??????
• Certain methods of euthanasia are inhumane and
  should never be used???????????
• Effective client communication is important
  before euthanasia?????????????????

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Further Reading ????

• American Veterinary Medical Association 2000
  Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia. J Am Vet
  Med Assoc 2000 218 669-696. Available online
  at www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.
  pdf
• Humane Slaughter Association. Website
  http//www.hsa.org.uk/
• WHO/WSPA, 1990 Guidelines for Dog Population
  Management.
• RSPCA, 2000 Stranded Cetaceans Guidelines for
  Veterinary Surgeons.
• CLOSE, B. et al, 1997 Recommendations for
  euthanasia of experimental animals, Laboratory
  Animals 31, 1-32
• GLATSON, A.R., 1998 The control of zoo
  populations with special reference to primates.
  Animal Welfare 7, 269-281
• LAMBOOY, E. et al, 1985 Euthanasia of mink with
  carbon monoxide Veterinary Record 116, 416
• SINGER, P., 1989 All animals are equal. Animal
  Rights and Human Obligations. Prentice Hall.