Euthanasia A Tough Part Of Owning Livestock

Most of us, whether we ranch and have large herds of animals or if we only have one or two family pets eventually face the difficult decision of when to terminate an animal's life. The animal may have an incurable disease or injury, or it may no longer be able to lead a normal life due to old age or infirmity. Decisions regarding our animal's life, regardless of the situation, never come easily to anyone. Not only do we need to make tough decisions at certain points in time regarding our animals, but we also need to remember that we need to behave in a fashion that is acceptable to our animals, ourselves, and to others.

Dr. Jesse Vollmer, assistant state veterinarian with the North Dakota Animal Health Division, points out that anyone who euthanizes animals for any reason needs to do the job in a humane way, and they need to remember that someone could be watching their actions. "Euthanizing can present people with some hard choices," he notes. "This may be a personal decision of the owner, or a decision made jointly between the owner and a veterinarian. We always need to do things in a way to minimize suffering and to make it as painless and as quick as possible. It also must be done in a manner that is acceptable to those who watch. This is not easy to do."

Each situation brings its own set of issues into play, and emotions vary depending on circumstances. Shooting a range cow that fell and broke her back does not present the same emotional issues as that of euthanizing a family pet. "Putting an animal down brings with it complicated emotions," Vollmer says. "If someone brings a dog in to a vet to be euthanized, the vet has to be cognizant of the attachment that person has for the dog, and why that owner is putting the animal to sleep. Where is the owner in the grieving process?"

He continues, ""If a dog is euthanized because it is old and no longer able to control itself or get around, the owner has come to terms with the situation. However, this is a lot different than if an owner has to put a dog to sleep because it contracted rabies and bit a neighbor. There are a lot of factors involved."

Not only can the decision to euthanize present difficult choices, but the matter of carcass disposal must be dealt with as well. The disposal of a single animal generally doesn't cause too many problems, but owners still need to choose a burial location wisely. When situations arise where multiple animals must be destroyed, disposal becomes a critical issue. "An animal in North Dakota must be buried or rendered within thirty six hours of death," Vollmer says. "The North Dakota State Health Department has carcass disposal forms for use if some catastrophic event has occurred. When many animals are dead, owners need to fill out a form and let the state know where the carcasses are located."

He adds, "People need to use common sense and not bury animals over waterways or in sandy soils."

Above all, Vollmer emphasizes the need for safety when destroying an animal. Emotions can make people react in unsafe ways, so Vollmer advises people to take time to consider all the safety aspects of the situation. "Anytime a person euthanizes an animal, no matter what the reason, he or she should always be cognizant of safety," Vollmer remarks. "If you have to shoot an animal, be careful that you don't shoot something you didn't intend to shoot. People can become excited when they are faced with this situation and whether a cow is down in the barn or you find a horse that fell down a ravine and broke its leg, put safety considerations into overdrive and proceed carefully."

He continues, "People can have so much empathy with animals that they want to stop the suffering as soon as possible, but stop and think, and don't cause unintended consequences. Take care of the animal but personal safety still comes first."

Vollmer offers a few words of advice for those who find themselves in the situation where they must put an animal down. "Be sure, be safe, and know what you are doing," he concludes. "Do the job as quickly and as painlessly as possible and remember that people may be watching. Character is how we act when no one else is looking. Alleviate the suffering as soon as possible, but do it right."