An argument that is particularly hard to argue when it is steeped in morality. However, it is not one that we should ignore. With that being said, there is a morally pressing issue that is deeply important to me: the euthanasia of animals. Specifically I will be discussing the topic of euthanasia to animals in non-critical conditions, meaning cases that do not involve intense medical problems in which the animal suffers a great deal. It is becoming increasingly harder to see the difference between sending an animal to a shelter or simply doing away with them. Though some may view this topic as unimportant, at least some consideration is deserved by this topic. It is a topic that deals with a significant decision. Not everyone is an animal lover …show more content…
In the article “PETA's euthanasia policy casts doubt on their goals,” Josephine Lien questions PETA’s actions and endorsements by saying, “With an annual budget of $37 million dollars, PETA possesses the financial ability to provoke change, an advantage that many groups lack. However, a significant portion of the budget goes toward its infamous celebrity-endorsed campaigns.” (Lien). There is obviously a blatant disregard for the search of a more humane a viable solution. Also, as stated before, their argument for the use of euthanasia was decent, but the sheer amount of it they are willing to use is agitating to the argument. The questionable activities of PETA have not only cast doubt upon their name, but also their arguments towards the endorsement of …show more content…
However, that is not the goal of this argument; it is to find a more stable and humane solution to this overcrowding that plagues the nation’s shelters. There are much more practical and morally satisfying ways of addressing the problem of overcrowding. A very promising example of this would be the work done in the state of Georgia. The statistics regarding Georgia’s euthanasia rates were very grim: “...1997 National Council on Pet Population survey estimated that shelters euthanize 64% of the animals they take in. In 2010, the division began publishing its rate: 79%. Local animal rights activists were less than pleased.” (Brzozowski). However, through the extensive hard work and dedication of Drale Short, the Division’s euthanasia percentage has dropped drastically over the past 5 years (Brzozowski). The significant improvement is a direct result from the Save-A-Pet program. The program implemented and enforced many beneficiary concepts: partnering with rescue groups, developing professional volunteers, preventing reproduction, etc… There’s no point in listing out all the concepts that the program devised because the real message here is that euthanasia prevention can be planned, it can be organized, and it can be implemented. The euthanasia percentage drop this state saw is proof - “Today, at 26%, the division’s euthanasia rate is among the nation’s lowest.”
It is estimated that more than 1 million people die annually in the United States from heart disease and cancer combined (Leading Causes of Death). What if all of those human lives could have been saved by sacrificing relatively few animals? Conservationists and animal rights activists always have the best of intentions for animals and the environment. They believe that animals should never have to suffer because of the choices human beings make. This view can be unrealistic in many situations. Jane Goodall’s A Question of Ethics was a very emotional and Rogerian style essay, but I found it lacked the supporting facts and credibility that can be found in Heloisa Sabin’s aggressive “classic” styled essay Animal research Saves Human Lives.
When I think of euthanasia, my mind tends to drift towards stories played out in the media and with various acquaintances’ throughout the years. One case that comes to mind is that of Terri Schiavo. The highly publicized and prolonged series of legal challenges presented in the case of Terri Schiavo was a legal and government conflict with the core issue being prolonged life - which persisted from 1990 to 2005. The heart of the matter was whether to carry out the decision of the husband of Teresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo to terminate life support and allowing her life to end. Doctors medically diagnosed her as being in a persistent vegetative state without any chance of any hope of recovery. Ultimately, after years of drifting in and out of the United States court system, along with government intervention Terri ultimately was removed from life-support and expir...
Killing and disposing of animals because there is no room available for them is unnecessary and inhumane. A shelter is usually a place where something or someone is offered protection and refuge. But what happens when a shelter does the exact opposite of giving something protection? Sadly this happens to various animals each year that are brought to Kill Shelters. The ASPCA has stated that three to four million animals are euthanized in shelters in the United States: an absolutely shocking 60% of all animals that belong to shelters(McLellan). Many of these animals that are irrationally killed are completely worthy of adoption.The main reason for all these senseless killings is overpopulation. Generally when shelters can no longer locate homes for animals they can no longer keep do to overpopulation the first and simplest option that comes to mind is to euthanize them. The animals could be in perfect condition physically but the shelters still kill the animals regardless of the conditions of the animals. Also, in many cases the animals may also be completely worthy of becoming adopted but the shelters still euthanize these animals who cannot possibly...
According to the Humane Society, 4-5 million cats and dogs that live in shelters are euthanized each year! This does not include the total number of pets in families who choose to euthanize their pets. In the article, "Rare White Rhino Population Drops to 3 with Euthanasia at San Diego Zoo," we are told that there are only 3 White Rhinos left in the world, due to euthanizing. According to the Washington Post, a 41-year-old white rhino named Nola, was put to sleep due to a bacterial infection and age-related health problems. It is vital that we stand up and realize what is right for animals. We need to have a voice and speak for them because they cannot speak for themselves. We need to realize that the practice of euthanizing is not right. It is not our right to determine when an animal should die.
PETA portrays itself as the messiah of animals however, they share more of a resemblance with a villain right out of a horror movie. They lure animals in with promises they will not kill them in their sleep. You would think an organization that supports the ethical treatment of animals would keep them alive however, you would be very wrong because annually PETA euthanizes 90% of the animals they pick up. And these are not sick or non- rehabilitatable animals these are perfectly healthy kittens, puppies, bunnies and other cute animals who made their way to a PETA shelter hoping to find a new home only to be euthanized within 24 hours. This is mainly because PETA does not believe people should own pets and think humans have breed animals with selfish intentions, that this goes against the
So while there are advantages to pet euthanasia, the cons far outweigh the pros. Pets are fun, and they are living things just like us. Killing them is absolutely unacceptable, especially when there are other solutions that work as well. While euthanasia is categorized as a "merciful ending," why should the end come at all before the animal's natural time? Now that you have read this paper, you know more about euthanization, what it is, and how to help prevent more animals from being killed.
Introduction The human-animal relationship is one that, in recent years, has come under heavy criticism. Organizations, such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), have been trying to raise awareness that this relationship may not be ethical. Changes have been made due to organizations like PETA and the HSUS (Humane Society of The United States). For example, Ringling Brothers Circus recently retired all of its elephants because people were boycotting the circus’s performances. Many people do not find anything about our relationship with animals unethical.
The purpose of this essay is to inform readers clearly and coherently enoughof the terms and issues in the euthanasia debate that they can make sense of the euthanasia question. Descriptions are in relatively simple, non-technical language to facilitate learning.
This essay will present in detail and with documentation the formation and growth and stated goals of the euthanasia movement in our country.
Animals are overpopulated, and it is costing countries money to euthanize, or use chemicals kill animals with a shot, animals. Money is also being taken for shelters to operate. Some countries didn’t pay for the euthanization of their pet problem though, they found another way to try to fix the issue. “.... the dogcatchers of New York caught 5,825 dogs, which were then placed into crates and lowered into the East River to drown.”(Jennifer Sexton and Tom Warhol, Domestic Animal Overpopulation). According to Jennifer Sexton and Tom Warhol in Domestic Animal Overpopulation, “Catching, feeding and caring for unwanted animals costs taxpayers and private agencies millions of dollars each year, as do adoption and education programs.” Citizens, animals, and shelters are affected by this issue of animal overpopulation. Citizens are affected because their taxes are being put to shelters, the shelters are then cost for chemicals to put the pets to sleep. The animals are th...
This theme song to a popular cartoon is a farce dealing with experiments carried out on animals. In the cartoon one mouse is made very smart and wants to take over the world while the other is clearly not as smart. While the cartoon makes jokes, the reality is that mice and other animals re being used for medical tests every day. For some people this testing brings up ethical questions. One of the biggest questions: is it really necessary to take the lives of animals in the name of science and for the betterment of humanity? For animal rights activists, like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the answer is no. PETA pressures labs into halting experiments because they believe that animals are not to be used by humans for "food, clothing, entertainment, or to experiment on" (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 1). Its stance is that any testing is painful, inhumane, and unnecessary when alternatives are available. The PETA website says that "animals, like humans, have interests that cannot be sacrificed or traded away simply because it might benefit others." (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 2-3). Essentially, PETA is of the opinion that animals and humans should have identical rights. In their press releases PETA puts out pictures of rabbits with open flesh wounds and dogs with rashes on their skins--all in an attempt to disgust people into sympathy for their cause. In actuality the number of lab animals used has been cut in half in the last 25 years (James-Enger 254). Of the animals used, 90 percent are rats and mice (James-Enger 1). Moreover, 11 million animals die each year in animal shelters (Americans for Medical Progress 2) and an astounding 95 percent ...
Euthanasia is a sensitive topic and its sensitivity brings the world to a division. The two sides are those who support the issue and those who are not in favour. The side that supports the idea can argue that...
When you hear the term euthanasia in reference to animals you think of the process that is used to end the suffering of an animal by putting them in a painless and permanent state of sleep. Today the term euthanasia is used to give reason to the murders of innocent animals all over the world. Animals should only be put down by euthanasia if they are in pain or suffering. Unfortunately most dogs that are euthanized over the course of the year are not aggressive or suffering from any disease (The Humane Society of the United States). Most of the animals are euthanized due to overpopulation in animal shelters. Euthanasia is a cruel and unnecessary practice that is not in the best interest for the animal.
A large amount of information relating to animal rights disseminates from the many websites PETA is associated with. These websites are a key factor to attract supporters and publish information that will help advance its activism. These two PETA websites that were very useful for researching this paper are www.peta.org and www.furisdead.com. These websites ...
PETA deals with many animal rights issues, some including fair treatment to animals in movies and entertainment, such as Khartoum. PETA is a non-profit organization with a purpose of getting better treatment for animals. The organization has uncovered many illegal projects, which harm animals in doing so. In 1981, PETA uncovered the abuse of animals in laboratories and experiments, which launched the Silver Springs monkeys case. In this experiment, Dr. Edward Taub was cutting major nerves in the arms of monkeys, and teaching them how to use the paralyzed arm. While people argued that this experiment had no value to it, Taub did app...