Someone I know shared a very sad thing with me that happened to her son. I couldn’t believe it!
Her son, Elliott, who is in college was sharing a house with another guy. They got a dog together and Elliott became particularly fond of this dog. He became very close to him and as most people who care about their pets do, Elliott soon saw this dog as family. He played with him, bragged about him, and took pictures of him all the time.
Fast forward to eight years later, when one morning Elliott couldn’t find his dog anywhere. He was looking all over the house & yard. All he found was his collar on the kitchen table. He asked his roommate numerous times where the dog was but the roommate wouldn’t say anything. Becoming more alarmed, Elliott became frantic and started raising his voice and demanding to know what happened to him. His roommate finally admitted he had taken the dog to the vet in the middle of the night to be euthanized.
This was a healthy, happy, eight year old dog. His life was just ended and why? Because the neighbors complained he killed some of their chickens.
It makes me really sad (and mad) that we think of animals as so disposable that when they act in their own nature, which sometimes to us is unacceptable, we just end their life. This was a dog being a dog! Furthermore there are plenty of other things that could have been done. First of all, tell Elliott. Elliott could have moved out with the dog or could have seen if a friend or family member wanted him. Then there is always the Humane Society.
My intent is not to speak bad about veterinarians, but I do wonder, do they just euthanize any animal at anyone’s request?
I am heartbroken about this and I didn’t even know the dog. I can’t imagine how Elliott must feel.
(Sorry I kept calling him “the dog.” I don’t know his name.)
Animals Are Feeling Beings Too 
I had a cat euthanized a long time ago, and the vet was very thorough with his questioning before he would agree to it. In fact it was the cat that sealed its own fate by attacking the vet! I would question the integrity of any vet that would simply euthanize on request because, as you point out so well, there are a number of other options.
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That’s the way it should be. No one should put down a dog for being a normal dog, especially someone else’s dog! A dog can be trained not to kill chickens. This incident strikes me as a hostile action toward the euthanized dog’s owner.
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I know it was very weird behavior. And you brought up another good point about training not to kill the chickens. The whole thing is just insane, sad, and infuriating.
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Exactly. We also have to remember that some people are nuts about their chickens, and dogs simply cannot be permitted to roam and kill other people’s animals.
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And I can see why they wouldn’t want them killed, but there are tons of other things that can be done. The answer is certainly not killing the dog, as I know you agree.
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I am confused about how the vet could do this. There really should be laws about euthanizing. I’m not sure what, but something. Maybe that there has to be proof that an animal is that sick or that dangerous.
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We sure have rigorously ethical vets where I live. I can’t imagine any vet in this region performing euthenasia on any animal at the behest of someone other than the owner, unless a victim of an attack gets a court order.
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Technically he was both guys dog, but Elliott became very close with him and was the one who mostly took care of him and spent the most time with him.
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This is really, really sad, and, I think, a mean act by the roommate. After 8 years, one should have more respect for another’s feelings.
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Yes, they certainly should.
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How heartless and cruel. I’m afraid, someone would have to be sending some bail money. I simply can’t fathom the thinking, and lack of compassion for an animal, and anyone attached to it.
Elliott should have had equal say in what to do with the little fella.
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You’re absolutely right! It definitely has destroyed any friendship they had. I can’t fathom it either.
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