Euthanization is coined from the Greek word ‘Eu Thanatos’, which translates to ‘easy death.’ It is a painless way of putting an end to the lives, Man and other creatures. It is done when an animal has an illness or disease that does not take life but results in unbearable pain to the creature. Optimists call this ‘put down’ and ‘put to sleep.’ You have every right to be present during the process. It takes only a few minutes for the heart to stop after injection. There may be some poop and urine, but it is okay and normal. You can also choose to stay outside if you feel it’s too much for you.
The animal’s body is either cremated or buried according to the wishes of its owner. The process may be very painful and emotional for the pet owners. Vets usually give the animal sedative or tranquilizers to make it unconscious for some time. During this period, you can say goodbyes to the pets without upsetting or agitating the animal. After some time, the second shot, which contains euthanasia, is given to the animal. Death follows in a matter of seconds to minutes.
However, euthanization is not done for only pet animals. Animals in shelters are also euthanized from overpopulation, terminal disease, or a canine gone rabid. It is mostly done in meat factories where thousands are put down, packaged into different end products before they are shipped off to different locations. This can be a very emotional and trying time for the owner and family but being there gives you strength and closure. You can hold on to the memory that it was fast and painless. You were there when you needed to be.
Some countries don’t have laws in place to protect the animals from being caused unnecessary pain. People should try to go out there to donate to shelters. The majority of the animals are put to sleep because of a lack of resources to feed them and shelter them. If the resources are available, they won’t have to put them down.
Is it painful
The first shot given to it ensures it’s in a deep state of sleep or unconsciousness. When the second shot is given, the dog won’t be aware, and there will be no spasming from it. It will just be like sleeping and never waking up again. It might not be discovered that the animal is dead unless the vet checked with doctor tools. This shows how flawlessly the animal passes on from sleep.
Make sure the vets you take your animal to are certified and trusted. Even the easiest job can be botched by inexperienced personal. The pain felt by the animal depends on how expert the doctor is. In the case of physiology, this is mostly the case. Because the shot has to be precise in its direction, if the shit is neat, the animal will die immediately, minimizing pain. If the shot is sloppy, the animal will go through chronic pain for an extended period before it finally dies. This is what should prevent prolonged agony.
The decision to free the pet from its pain is the most painful one. For pets whose pets are like family to them, it’s not an easy decision. The actual process of death is a painless and fast transition from life to death.
What is the process it follows
Many different ways can be used for euthanization. The ones with drug bases such as infections and anesthesia is one type used. It is the most commonly used. The other type is a physical approach to the matter. Firearms and bare hands can be used for this. These methods are not common, and they are very old but still used by people.
Intravenous anesthetic
It’s the most commonly used method. It involves two injection shots. The pet is given to first shot, which is anesthesia to make it sleep. In its unconscious state, the second shot is administered. This shot is the killing shot, and it doesn’t waste time at all and cause unnecessary pain. Rather it kills within minutes.
Death is very fast with this method, and you can see that it’s as painless as fast as possible. It helps with emotional pain to know this.
For big animals, the amount of euthanasia needed is thought to be impractical. However, it is normal in the United States. Cattle and horses have different types of drugs used on them apart from other animals.
Gas
This is done by putting the animals in the gas chamber, then releasing the corresponding gas that will put down the creature. Has chambers are not very encouraged, as it’s not humane. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are some of the gases used.
Carbon dioxide is released into the gas chamber, and within minutes the animal will be dead. Nitrogen is used as well though it takes up to 14min to 16min for it to work. Some animals are also resistant to it. Carbon monoxide is allowed, but anesthesia must first be used on it. It means the animal must be made unconscious before the gas is used on it.
Although the gas chamber is viewed as less than humane by some people, countries like the USA still use them.
Cervical placement disruption
In other words, break the neck. This method is an older way of putting down small animals such as rats. It involves an expert versed in the art, who can break the beck and cause swift death. If an inexperienced person does this, the displacement might go wrong, causing intense pain for the rodent.
The time taken to go unconscious and die after neck displacement is not properly known. Therefore people were not inclined to use this method much. Inhalants were preferred to neck displacement
Direct heart injection
A type of euthanasia is injected directly into the heart when the intravenous injection is not possible.
The injection may take up to 15min to work in cats and dogs.
Intracardiac is completely okay, but it may not be used if the animal was not made unconscious first, in places with humane laws. It can be extremely painful if the animal is conscious during the process. It’s better in all the animals’ processes to be asleep or unconscious not to feel the pain.
Firearms and bolt guns
Shooting can be done as a means of euthanasia for large animals like horses, battles, and camels. The shot has to be done by an expert in the right place to ensure instant unconsciousness in the animal followed by death. If not done properly, it can injure the animal without causing death and causing unbearable pain.
Shooting has to be precise. It is very close to cervical displacement in nature.
- Fire arms: Firearms are fired through the medulla oblongata down the spine, causing instant death
- Captive bolt gun: Meat industries commonly use it. It is fired at the forehead of the cattle scattering its brain. This might not kill cattle instantly. The death is hastened forward by pitching.
Why are animals euthanized
Animals are euthanized for several reasons ranging from one type to another;
- An incurable disease or accident that causes chronic pain without an end in sight. He doesn’t eat or is forced before he eats. Stooling and vomiting.
- Aggressiveness: Animals that are wild and untamable and go about hurting people are put to sleep. I.e., canines who have bitten someone and injured them, such as rabid dogs, are put to sleep.
- Advanced age, where many bodily functions and vigor are lost. It is leading to low quality of life. If the animal has gotten to a stage where all it does is sleep around and can’t walk by itself, it is as good as dead.l
- The creature was used for the test to prevent complications and pain from the dissection. It is also to prevent disease spread depending on the type of test it was used for. If the search was to find a cur for a disease, the animal is first injected with the disease, and then the doctors try numerous ways to cure it. If their attempts are unsuccessful, the animal is out to sleep.
- Overpopulation in animal shelters.
There are millions of animals in shelters with no family to take them in. When they become too much for the state to support, some are put to sleep. Over 4500 animals are put down in the USA every day.
Statistics about euthanasia
There is not much precise bookkeeping on reorganization. Due to the fact, there are no efficient reporting systems to compile the number and why of euthanized animals.
California state is the state with the highest animal euthanization. Half of all animal put down is done by California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. All in descending order, with Carolina having the highest and Louisiana with the lowest.
Rules or no rules The number of animals put down per year, and the high-end estimate is 100 million. More average estimates are between 12 and 25 million. Therefore it’s between 12-100 million. This is a huge amount put to sleep for human consumption and satisfaction.
Putting down animals is just as hard on vets as the owners. Suppose the pet is a frequent visitor to the vet. The vet feels pain from putting down a life he has been struggling to keep when all fails; many vets have attested to this fact.
When and where
You can go to the vet’s office for the organization. The vet will do everything to make sure there is a perfect and peaceful transition to death for the creature.
But, you can also choose to get the vet over to your house for it. This helps the dog be in a more comfortable and familiar environment when it is ‘put to sleep.’
How to deal with the body
After all, is done and said, you have grieved for your pet, said your goodbyes. It has been put to sleep in the most painless and fast way possible. How do you deal with the body?.
You will most likely prefer to have it buried or cremated. There are pet burial places you can contact to get this done for you.
In the absence of someone to claim the animal for burial or cremation, it is usually sent to meat facilities to be made into other end products like cosmetics, animal feed e.t.c.
Burying it ensures you have a place to visit if you suddenly miss your pet. You can also have it frozen in a facility preserving its body for a long time. Pets are like family to most the bond between the master and pet is very intense. So you would want the best for your pet, just like some people bury their loved ones in $2,000 caskets. It’s ridiculous, yeah, but it’s the way they want to show they care by giving the best, even in death, to it. If you don’t know what kind of disposal method is best for your pets, you contact professionals for advice.
Conclusion
Animals have been put to sleep many years back. In those times, the pain the animal may be going through wasn’t considered. The main focus was to have the animal dead. However, with the recent emergence of humane laws, animals have been enjoying better treatment from humans. Humane law on animals has made sure that only the most painless and fastest method is used to put animals down.
Many humanitarian organizations have fought for this right for animals, and it is now in place in many countries such as the United States of America.