Category Archives: Euthanasia

Hwy 50 Freedom Ride saves about 300 dogs per year from getting put down. They pick up animals from rural shelters held by animal control that aren't claimed

DENVER A non-profit from the Denver metro area needs help so they can continue saving animas from euthanasia.

Hwy 50 Freedom Ride was founded by Brittany Higgins. Volunteers with her team pick up animals weekly from animal control organizations in rural areas. All of the animals are strays that have not been claimed by owners. The team usually travels to La Junta, Rocky Ford and other surrounding communities.

Once they pick up the animals, they are then connected with animal rescues in the Denver-metro area. Foster families take in the animals or they go to shelters to get adopted.

Every year, Hwy 50 Freedom Ride saves hundreds of animals from getting put down. Higgins estimates she and her team have saved over 2,500 dogs in the last decade or so.

"When I get to say that dog is safe and we get them in the car, and I see them get out of the car and they are smiling and they are wiggling, and they know they are safe, it means everything to me," Higgins said. "It makes all my stress every week worth it."

Right now, the non-profit is operating without a van. As a result, Higgins said volunteers are traveling hundreds of miles monthly in their own personal vehicles to pick up the dogs.

Sometimes, she said volunteers are making multiple trips from Denver to rural areas because they don't have enough space in the cars to accommodate all of the animals.

Higgins and her team said they desperately need a van to continue their work, so they can make weekly trips just once or twice.

"It would be really helpful to us, really useful, to go down in one shot, get all the dogs out in one trip and be able to keep our volunteers happy and they want to keep doing this," said Higgins.

Higgins said she is hoping to fundraise enough for a new van before the summer, which is the season they see the most animals in need of homes.

>> If you would like to donate, click HERE.

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Non-profit that saves dogs from euthanasia raising money to buy new van - 9News.com KUSA

EASTLAND COUNTY, Texas With winds pushing flames rapidly across farm and ranch lands, hundreds of cows and other animals were injured or killed in this months fire across Eastland County.

Texas A&Ms College of Veterinary Medicine deployed their emergency response team [VET] and mobile vet clinics to meet the injured animals right where they were.

This deployment was very different for us," said Dr. Wesley Bissett, director of the VET team. "It was very focused on the large animal side, the livestock side; again, completely understandable given the rural nature of the community, and the importance of the agricultural community to their economic base.

Called to service by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, 15 A&M staff and volunteers associated with veterinary medicine spent approximately one week in Eastland County, treating over 100 burn victims, from cows to cats and dogs even firefighters search and rescue dogs.

We do maintain checks of their health throughout the day, but we also make sure the pads of their feet are not affected by the hot ground they're searching on," said Garrett Carr, program manager of the VET team.

The team were able to save lives and heal many animals. But theres often tragedy that follows natural disasters like this.

Certainly there were some we evaluated that could not be saved," Dr. Bissett said. "So then a kind and respectful end through euthanasia was our approach.

The team worked in cooperation with Eastland County veterinarians and other agencies before finally returning to College Station. After 34 disaster deployments prior, these Aggie first responders were content to help a community like that of Eastland County, particularly the town of Carbon.

The physical structures of Carbon may not have survived, but the community did," Bissett said. "They were there for each other and there to support us to do what we do, which is interesting. We go there to support them, and they help us.

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Aggie VET team treat over 100 animals burned and injured in Eastland County fire - 25 News KXXV and KRHD

The Fayette Regional Humane Society (FRHS) reached 500 adoptions last weekend an approximate increase of 49% from this time last year.

Last year, we didnt hit 500 until the second week of May, explained FRHS Chief Humane Agent and Outreach Director Brad Adams. As of (Tuesday morning), we are now at 525 adoptions for 2022 (this year-to-date).

Even with an increase in adoptions, there are still 35 cats and one dog in-house along with 27 animals currently in foster care.

Typically, during the colder months, our intake of cats is lower, so there are fewer animals available for adoption. However, with the milder temperatures this winter in our area and other animal shelters in Kentucky with a lower adoption rate with higher euthanasia in their shelter, we have taken in a lot more to help, said Adams.

With an influx of kittens this spring, FRHS will host its first-ever virtual kitten shower for the month of April.

You can give kittens the second chance they deserve by donating from wish lists on Chewy or Amazon or dropping off gifts at the Animal Care and Adoption Center. Partakers can also name a kitten or kittens and win wonderful prizes by guessing how many kittens will be seen in May, said Adams.

The link to the Kitten Shower is on the FRHS website: Fayetteregionalhumane.org.

With kitten season knocking at our door since cats are seasonal breeders and as the temperatures begin to warm up more, means that we will need extra supplies to help us care for them. Scoopable cat litter and canned pate cat food are our two most needed items. We go through around 500 pounds of cat litter and eight cases of canned pate cat food per month, explained Adams.

The Fayette Regional Humane Society care and adoption center is located at 153 S. Fayette St. in Washington Court House.

Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.

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FRHS surpasses 500 adoptions for the year to-date - Record Herald

SINGAPORE Following a public outcry over its decision to euthanise a wild boar that caused a commotion in a Yishun housing estate, an official from the National Parks Board (NParks) said that euthanasia was a last resort response.

In an interview with TODAY on Friday (March 25), Dr Adrian Loo, group director of wildlife management with NParks, said: "We didn't want to translocate it because there is a risk that it might come out (to human-populated areas) again.

The wild boar may have dispersed out (to open urban areas) because it was seeking a new place, or it got chased out by another herd of boars, or it was disorientated, or it was habituated to human food."

If the boar was moved elsewhere, there may still be a risk of it returning to urban spaces such as roads, which may be a hazard to motorists, vehicular traffic and itself.

This process of euthanising is usually something of a last resort, Dr Loo added.

When asked why the boar may have ventured into a housing estate, he said that this could be attributed to improper management of waste or illegal feeding.

On March 9, the wild boar was on the loose at a Yishun coffee shop and knocked over a woman. The woman fell and remained on the ground for about 15 minutes before paramedics arrived, an eyewitness said.

It happened around Block 846 Yishun Ring Road at about 6.50pm.

The NParks team was first alerted to the incident at 7.11pm that day and arrived at the scene 12 minutes later.

Dr Loo said: "Policeofficers were on site and saw the wild boar dash from the coffee shop and into Yishun Park. We tried to trap itthe next daybut it was just very skittish and was hiding already".

"We set up our closed-circuit television camera and monitored that area. The same wild boar came out and went to a rubbish point and then went back to the forest."

The NParks team hoarded the boar in a confined area and continued to monitor it for almost two weeks.

The team shot a sedative dart at the boar, which made it unconscious before it was euthanised.

News of the euthanasia greatly upset animal welfare groups and activists.

Ms Anbarasi Boopal, co-chief executive officer of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said that the boars death was "disheartening" because it goes against the organisation's efforts to educate the public on the peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife.

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Wild boar in Yishun incident euthanised as 'last resort', NParks says - TODAY

SAY YOU ARE APARTMENT HUNTING ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON, AND AT FIRST THINGS APPEAR PROMISING.There are 116 possibilities listed in Monterey alone on apartments.com at the moment, and 84 of them appear to be pet-friendly.

But then you make the next click. Only nine locations allow cats. The same nine places welcome dogs. So at a glance, just 7 percent of available rentals on this particular day accept dogs and cats. Theres no accounting for other animals.

That figure may be a little low, of course. Within each complex there could be several units open. Yet Craig Coming, president of Mangold Property Management in Monterey and a veteran of 23 years in the business, estimates that availability generally runs against pet owners by an 80-20 margin.

Although surveys of pet ownership in the U.S. show varying numbers, most suggest that at least half of American households play host to at least one animal friend. As a result, finding an accommodating apartment can be challenging for those with pets.

Its something we work with every day, Coming acknowledges.

Reasons for this discrepancy include vagaries such as perception. Listings often bar one type of pet, but allow another. Property owners who love dogs, for instance, may dismiss cats as spraying, carpet-shredding fiends. There are also liability concerns imposed by insurance agencies. Even dog-friendly leases often contain stipulations against certain breeds. Another likely cause perhaps the biggest is past experience.

Coming recalls a new tenant who moved in with a dog to a unit in Monterey. The person worked in Big Sur, leaving the anxious animal alone all day.

Other tenants started calling immediately complaining that the dog was barking non-stop, Coming says. Within a week, it had mangled all the window blinds. It chewed through wooden cabinets, eventually causing $10,000 in damage.

Coming cautions that positive experiences far outweigh negatives, and this case was extreme. But such stories make property owners wary. If it werent for so many irresponsible pet owners, it would be easier, he adds.

Constraints on the market for pet-friendly rentals have consequences beyond a frustrating search or an ornery pooch. Beth Brookhouser, an SPCA Monterey County spokesperson, has counted 217 animals taken in by the facility whose owners stated specifically that a landlord would not allow pets and that is in the past year alone.

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There are probably more than that, she adds, noting that not everyone who abandons a pet gives a reason. Another 339 animals landed at the SPCA Monterey County because their owners were moving. In some of those cases, the new location likely was not pet-friendly.

Moving and landlord issues are two of the biggest reasons animals come in here, Brookhouser says.

Far too often, the innocent pet is the victim of these circumstances. They end up caged, with euthanasia a distinct possibility.

Yet there are tools to help out apartment hunters with animal friends. The SPCA Monterey County website shares a list of rental properties that accept pets. They also can assist with tips for persuading a hesitant property owner.

Number one, we want people to be honest with landlords, Brookhouser says. Quite a few of the 217 were animals people tried to sneak by.

In addition to communication, the organization recommends pet owners gather references from previous property owners or managers a pet resume, of sorts. Brookhouser also suggests making an effort to introduce your animal to the owner or management company. Let them get to know the pet, she says.

Coming agrees that these steps can help ease resistance to animals. If provided the opportunity, the staff at Mangold will check references and go so far as to interview pets, to meet them in person. If convinced an animal will pose no problem, well call the [property] owner and try to sell them.

The owners trust me to advise them, Coming adds. Generally they are going to do it.

There may still be restrictions on the type of pet, size and number. And additional fees may be required. Provided a pet owner on the hunt for a place to rent communicates, gives references and takes other steps to prove the animal is unlikely to be a liability, it is possible that no pet doors will open.

But, Brookhouser reiterates, there is one guideline that helps more than others.

Be a responsible pet owner, she says. You dont want to be the one who spoils it for others.

Continued here:

For apartment hunters with animals in tow, many doors are shut. But it is possible to find a pet-friendly home. - Monterey County Weekly

Pro-life advocates are seen near the U.S. Supreme Court Dec. 1, 2021, the day justices heard oral arguments in a case about a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

It would require having the best crystal ball on the market to predict the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the abortion case from Mississippi, but however the court rules, if it decides only to narrowly modify its Roe v. Wade decision of nearly 50 years ago, many Americans devoted to the sanctity of life will be unhappy. If it altogether reverses Roe, many Americans who want abortion to be available on demand will be displeased.

Unhappy and displeased may be putting it mildly.

Tempers will rise. The only certain forecast well may be that debate will continue regarding the right of unborn life to exist without being deliberately terminated. Those who, along with Catholic Church teaching, see unborn life as the life of a human being, with all the dignity and rights pertaining to that status, will have to explain and defend their position.

They will have to stand facing very high winds of cultural opinion, because they will have to voice their beliefs in an environment in which traditional morality, in many manifestations, is forgotten, ignored or criticized. Anything, everything, goes today.

Recently, a television sports news reporter interviewed a senior in a Catholic high school who is acclaimed as the best scholastic basketball player in his state. The reporter asked the young man what would be next in his life.

The Catholic high school star did not say it would be college, or the military, or learning the family business. Goodness knows, he did not say he was thinking about the seminary. He said that in a few days he would be 18, in June he would graduate, as would his girlfriend, and then they would get jobs, move into the same apartment, and begin adult life. Marriage? Who knows? Maybe one day. Maybe not. Children? Maybe.

He is completing 12 years of Catholic education, during which time he surely heard Catholic moral teaching. As the old saying goes, You can lead a horse to water, but .

In another newscast, the wedding of a popular entertainer, his Catholic background was reported. His bride also has Catholic origins. Their two young sons were ring bearers. The reporter was not at all surprised.

Cohabitation is a way of life, as is easy divorce. Nobody questions artificial birth control, and many Catholics find Church doctrine on the question embarrassing at best, absurd at worst.

Euthanasia is coming, no doubt about it.

Abortion, and legal access to it, have their own serious implications to consider, but, overall, discussion about the moral propriety of abortion on demand is burdened by the increasingly widespread attitude in America, and throughout Western civilization, that something is immoral only if, and to the extent, that an individual person sees it as wrong for himself or herself.

Personal judgment is essential to any evaluation of morality, but also vital is admitting the fact that each one of us is limited in wisdom and prudence a somewhat ominous thought until it is coupled with the realization that God, through Christ, echoed in the teachings of the Church, has shown us the better way.

The bottom line is that this cultural atmosphere has exaggerated individual human decision-making, and the righteousness of consequent action, setting the reality of a Supreme Being aside and, therefore, obviously, any revelation proceeding from a Supreme Being.

When arguments regarding abortion occur, think about what abortion is. Ponder why Catholic teaching celebrates the sanctity of marriage and values integral to marriage, such as lifelong commitment and fidelity. Bravely, and carefully, note sociological and psychological facts indicating that cohabitation is not inevitably as productive and fulfilling as some assume it to be. Study the rationality behind Catholic doctrine about artificial contraception.

Remember what Pope St. Paul VI predicted two generations ago, that in ignoring God and Gods revelation, pronounced by the Church, humanity would reap the whirlwind. Smart man.

Msgr. Owen F. Campion is OSVs chaplain.

Original post:

Know why the Church teaches what it does about abortion - Our Sunday Visitor

Italy has moved a step closer to legalising a form of euthanasia.

MPs voted in favour of a new law -- by 253 votes to 117 with one abstention -- that would allow "voluntary medically assisted death" for ill patients.

The proposed bill would make assisted suicide legal for patients who suffer from an irreversible illness with an "unfortunate prognosis" that causes "absolutely intolerable physical and psychological suffering".

They must also have undergone a palliative treatment process and be maintained alive only with medical treatments.

The law will only allow these patients to end their life with medication under the approved assistance of medical personnel. They must also be of legal age, show capacity of understanding and be adequately informed.

Under Italian law, anyone who helps a person commit suicide faces between five and 12 years in prison.

The new bill follows a ruling from Italy's Constitutional Court in 2019, which said that certain forms of euthanasia should not be illegal.

The court said that assisted suicide would be allowed for terminally ill patients who were suffering from "unbearable" physical or psychological pain and were being kept alive by machines.

The case concerned an activist and former MEP, who had been convicted for helping a quadriplegic citizen die in Switzerland.

But judges had blocked an attempt to hold a referendum on voluntary euthanasia in February and instead that Italian MPs should decide on the matter.

The proposed legislation will now go to Italy's Senate for a vote before it can be passed into law.

Originally posted here:

MPs in Italy back a new law that would legalise a form of euthanasia - Euronews

Though it also isnt the most uplifting topic, Im going to jump from cancer to euthanasia. While euthanasia is one of the hardest times for owners, the good part is that it is such an easy thing for our pets. I will talk about reaching the decision, how to decide, and then the process of euthanasia.

People often tell me that they think this is the hardest part of my job, but in fact, it is not. The time leading up to euthanasia when we are unable to continue making things better for pets is the hardest for me. We have so many things in our toolkit to help with pain, organ failure, cancers, and general well-being. But there comes a point in time where we cannot improve quality of life even with all of these measures. For me, looking at a beloved pet and knowing that all of my knowledge and experience cant continue to make them feel better is the hardest thing.

I know deciding on euthanasia can seem like an impossible choice for owners. I want to assure you deciding to put a pet to sleep is not giving up on them, it is giving them a gift. For us the days after we lose a pet are heartbreaking. However, our pets are so good at living in the moment that they dont have a concept of tomorrow. All they know is now.

This can be good or bad depending on the situation. But our pets never look outside and think, if only I could live another two months so I could lay in the warm sunshine. They only know how they feel right now. If your pet is struggling with their daily life, giving them more time is often not a gift. That extra time is sometimes needed to help our own hearts come to terms and heal, but it isnt needed for them. If you can give them an amazing day full of petting, love, and their favorite treats then all they know is that they had the best day. They dont know that they wont have another.

I often have owners reflect on their pets favorite things. If your dog loves running, playing Frisbee, or swimming, that can be a hard evaluator. I have a dog who loves running and sunshine, but as she has gotten older she loves sleeping on the couch and snuggles too. It is normal for these evaluations to change as pets age. Is your pet spending the majority of their day doing things they enjoy? Is the majority of their day pain-free? Do they still eat and have enough energy? Can your veterinarian help them feel better or are they at an endpoint? I find that it helps to write this on a calendar or piece of paper so that we can give a more honest evaluation.

Once you have decided that the time has come for euthanasia, the rest is up to us. I often give animals a pre-medication to take a few hours before they come in. This can be especially helpful for pets who dont love traveling or going to the vet. It is very important to me that all euthanasias are done without having the animal wait very long before sedation. They certainly dont know what is happening, but they sense your sadness.

The euthanasia protocol can vary between vets. I will go over what I do. Ive chosen this protocol because it works the best for me but that is not to say that other ones are wrong. I first give an injection that puts your pet under anesthesia. This takes about 10-15 minutes and they slowly go under anesthesia while spending their last peaceful moments with the person they love. Once a pet is completely unconscious we give the final injection to stop their heart. At this point, they are never aware of the injection or the feeling of departing.

Often owners are surprised about how comfortable and calm their pets are as they pass. For me, this is one of the gifts I can give to my beloved patients. If you feel even an inkling that the time is close for your pet, please talk to your veterinarian to make an action plan so it doesnt sneak up on you. The more prepared you are the easier it is.

Original post:

Preparing for quality of life decisions | Off The Leash | rutlandherald.com - Rutland Herald

Anderson County PAWS has been named the No Kill South Carolina 2024 Organization of the Year. The organization received the award in recognition of its tireless efforts to save animal lives throughout South Carolina.

Im truly honored to have PAWS receive this incredible achievement, said Dr. Kim Sanders, PAWS Veterinarian and Director. I know how hard my team works each day but for the entire state to recognize all that PAWS does to save lives makes me extremely proud. This award is proof that when an entire community comes together to do what is best for the animals, everyone comes out a winner.

Dr. Sanders thanked her incredible PAWS team for the dedication they show every day for the animals. She and her team mentored shelters in the Upstate and beyond, helping NKSC 2024 to change the reality of animal welfare in South Carolina.

This visionary leader joined PAWS in Oct 2016, in the middle of a crisis with euthanasia rates of 21% for dogs and 60% for cats. By the end of 2017, euthanasia rates dropped to 6% and 3% respectively, and have been that low since.

Dr. Sanders attributes such success to her passion for saving lives! From the very beginning, she decided to save every animal that they could and her incredible staff have gone above and beyond for every animal in the shelter and community. Dr. Sanders says the support from the County Administrator, Deputy Administrator, County Council and Sheriff has been overwhelming. It has taken the entire community working together to make PAWS such a success story.

With Anderson County doing well, Sanders realized that she could help stop the unnecessary euthanasia occurring in surrounding counties. Her solution was for the PAWS team to mentor and share leading practices with these shelters, with the goal of preventing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.

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ANDERSON COUNTY PAWS IS NKSC 2024 ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR - Carolina Tails Magazine

Were in a war and there is no neutrality (Matthew 12:30). Weve been in a war since the garden when Adam and Eve sinned, but sometimes its more obvious than other times. And this spiritual war is growing increasingly clear as our secular culture determines to trust mans word, not Gods Word, and forces Christians, in particular, to approve of, celebrate, and participate in evil, sinful practices.

Another example of this assault on religious freedom comes from California, where a group of Christian doctors is suing the state over a revision to the 2015 assisted suicide law. This revision forces all doctors who will not perform an assisted suicide (murder) to document a patients request before referring that patient to another physicianand that documentation counts as one of two statutorily required steps to advance the patient toward assisted suicide, making the doctor with a conscientious objection complicit in the process.

Where does this view that individuals should be allowed to end their own lives if they have a terminal diagnosis come from? (Keep in mind, as well, that euthanasia never stops with just the terminally ill. In other nations, individualsincluding childrenwith disabilities or depression are being euthanized.)

Well, in a very secularized culture that is swamped in evolutionary thought with an atheistic, relativistic worldview (based on naturalism), human life has no more value than an animals. But, we know in a biblical worldview that man is very different to the animals, as man is made in the image of God. And Gods Son became a man (the God-man) to die and rise from the dead to pay the penalty for our sin and offer eternal life. Its the human race (yes, one race) that can receive the free gift of salvationthats how valuable human life is. And that value isnt dependent on health, level of development, what someone can contribute to society, or anything else!

This item was discussed today on Answers News with cohosts Patricia Engler, Dr. Georgia Purdom, and Tim Chaffey. Answers News is our twice-weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience and broadcast on my Facebook page and the Answers in Genesis Facebook page. We also covered the following topics:

Watch the entire episode of Answers News for March 7, 2022.

Be sure to join us each Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET) on my Facebook page or the Answers in Genesis Facebook page for Answers News. You wont want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiGs research team.

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Doctors in California May Be Forced to Participate in Assisted Suicides - Answers In Genesis