Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7676
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 4:44 pm Post subject: When Do You Say Goodbye To Your Pet? |
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When Do You Say Goodbye To Your Pet?
By Maurice Ali, Journalist
My best friend
When do you say goodbye to a cherished pet? How do you know?
The only reason I ask this is because a friend of mine is facing this very dilemma. The pet is incredibly old. I am almost certain this pet has bad hearing and deteriorating sight. Recently there has been forgetfulness and major disorientation. Noisy at night - which a vet told me is senility - I can only guess what this truly signifies (a cry to confirm "being" in a world with little perception.....).
The problem is that pets cannot talk to us like our relatives can. How do we really know if our pet is in pain or discomfort? It therefore, becomes even more painful to decide whether to put the pet out of its's misery humanly, or keep it alive? I have found this personal little problem to have taxed all my philosophical experience without resolution. I personally would not know how to act. I like this pet, and the thought of euthanasia if it still enjoyed it's life really bothers me - I am not God!
I made a joke to one of the vets I visit in my job and about how people pine over this decision for their pet and yet come to these decisions easily with their own flesh and blood. I think it is the lack of communication and the unqualified love that pets give us. Humans can tell you when they want to go - animals can not. Pets bond to people so completely (especially dogs.....my bias), that it really tears your heart out to make a life and death decision; especially if it involves money and really is not that expensive.
All I did over the last few days is think about this dilemma and how it really bothered me. I can see why some doctors adhere to the idea of keeping the patient alive at all costs, easier to sleep at night with your mind always made up. People and pets can be really bad one moment and then recover the next.....you just are never one hundred percent sure when the time is right. You also do not want your pet to die a slow suffocating death that could have been avoided if you had just done the merciful thing without fear.....
What a laugh - the defender of free speech and thought - dumbfounded over the question of putting a pet to sleep. How ironic.....
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