Legally Killing My Dog or Pet: Acceptable Reasons
Owner-induced euthanasia is only legal if your pet is:
Most owners consult with a veterinarian before determining if an animal is near death or unfit for living a long and healthy life. A vet’s conclusion may be that your dog has weeks or months to live. This allows you to take the dog home and make a personal decision about the right time to let them go.
In some situations, the clinic can be too expensive or too far away (some clinics do offer phone and video appointments), so people must decide independently.
Keep in mind that most dogs can lead happy and full lives with missing limbs, blindness, deafness, or other special needs.
They may be “not fit” in your eyes, or the level of care might be more than you can handle, but there are owners out there who are willing to take in animals with special needs.
Laws About Killing a Healthy Animal Yourself
If your dog could have a decent standard of living for several years, you can’t kill them. Killing a healthy and happy animal yourself is always considered illegal.
Your options under these circumstances are:
You also can’t abandon a dog or let them go free. Also, some shelters have the right to euthanize healthy dogs. This falls under their own business ordinances and state laws.
You can never kill a domesticated animal that doesn’t belong to you (except in rare circumstances, such as when a dog is on your property or posing a danger to animal or human life). This is considered the destruction of property in the eyes of the law.
Arriving at the decision to euthanase your dog
Talk it over with your veterinary surgeon and your family and friends. Questions to think about include:
Persistent and incurable inability to eat, vomiting, signs of pain, distress or discomfort, or difficulty in breathing are all indications that euthanasia should be considered. You and your family know your dog better than anyone else, so try to make a reasoned judgement on his or her quality of life. Your vet will help you with this and will often make a recommendation. If you are hoping for an improvement in your dog’s condition, setting a time limit may be a sensible option. Sadly, few dogs die peacefully in their sleep at home. Most reach a point when their quality of life is unsatisfactory, and a decision for euthanasia has to be made.
Living with a chronically ill dog can be emotionally (and financially) draining. Often there is a substantial time commitment involved in care. Not every owner is able to cope and, if there is no chance of a recovery and you are unable to give your dog the degree of care needed for a comfortable life, it may be better to opt for euthanasia. With some invalid dogs there is the possibility of a sudden and unpredictable deterioration. If you are unable to make arrangements for your dog to receive emergency care (all vets in the UK have to make provision for this) euthanasia may be a better option.
Consider taking some time off work to get over the event. Explain the situation to the receptionist when you make the appointment as you can often choose a quiet time for your visit to the surgery. It may be a good idea for a friend or family member to come with you for support. Some vets will agree to make house visits if you prefer this option. If your dog is already hospitalised, then you can ask to visit and say goodbye if you wish. However, if your pet is under an anaesthetic, it may be kinder to agree to euthanasia without waking him, and perhaps to see him afterwards.
The following is a detailed description of the process. Some of the events described may be distressing, but remember that your dog rapidly loses consciousness and cannot feel pain from that point onwards.
You will normally need to sign a consent form.
Euthanasia is usually carried out by injecting an overdose of anaesthetic into the vein of the front leg, although the injection can be given to other areas of the body as well. The dog is held by a nurse, and a small patch of fur is shaved off. All your dog feels is a tiny prick of the needle – then the injection is painless.
Occasionally, a dog may give a small cry as the injection is given – as with all anaesthetics, there is a brief feeling of dizziness as the drug takes effect. Unconsciousness follows within seconds, often before the injection is finished. Death occurs within a couple of minutes when the heart stops beating. It may take a little longer if the animal is extremely ill or has poor circulation. Sometimes in this instance it may prove difficult for the vet to find a vein.
If a dog is agitated or restless, then the vet may give a sedative first, but finding a vein can then be more difficult and the injection may work more slowly.
In the few minutes after death you may see reflex muscle movement, or involuntary gasps. These are not signs of life, in fact, they are reflexes denoting that death has occurred. The eyes usually stay open and the bladder sometimes empties.
The vast majority of euthanasias proceed smoothly and quickly with little distress to the animal. Even if there are difficulties, it is still a quick procedure that can save your dog many days or weeks of suffering and a painful end.