Well, personally yes, I think a needle is probably better than a bullet. Having personally held my very sick cat while she was euthanized, I can definitely say that is a much better option than having a *hopefully but doubtfully* well-placed bullet. Perhaps many people do not actually understand how humane euthanasia works. I can tell you from firsthand experience. The pet is first given a sedative for relaxation, beforehand. Most times the owner is allowed to hold and comfort their pet the entire time. How could anyone possibly argue that shooting a fully conscious pet from a couple of feet away is an "equivalent" alternative to humane euthanasia in a vet's office? I can't even fathom the mentality behind that. If you had a gravely ill child, would you prefer the child to be taken out and shot rather than die humanely? Why should a pet be any different?
I also think the legality of it is an issue. Ok, so it's acceptable to shoot your dog when it needs to be put down. What about the rest of the time? What if you just can't find a home for your pet? What if the pet has a non life-threatening injury or needs medication that the owner is too lazy to administer? I think that making it acceptable to shoot one's pet under certain circumstances just opens the floodgates for every redneck and mullet that manages to get their hands on a firearm. How many of those people would abuse the system? How many would be terrible shots who end up putting their pet through a tremendous amount of pain in an effort to "humanely" end the pet's life? How many would try to find other methods to end the animal's life and again, end up causing suffering?
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NeonLights said:If the bullet is well placed, there is no difference, except in the emotion of the owner.
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I guess that's another thing that bothers me. If such a person exists that they could actually bring themselves to shoot their own pet... I personally find that pretty disturbing.
And since I'm the devil's advocate and causing debate today, I should throw in that I'm also pro-choice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif