A dog is shot by the owner. How would you feel in this situation?

Did your sis know it was going to happen? If she didn’t and I were her I’d be very upset at him, to where it’s not forgiveable.

It’s old school. We still have folks who come in to our emergency clinic and say “How much to euthanize? A bullet costs me a lot less!”.

Pets are considered property, and so it is entirely up to the owner. After all, millions of cows, pigs, and chickens are killed in a (somewhat) similar manner.

Our response to clients is that they certainly have that option, but our recommendation would be a humane euthanasia to avoid the risk of a bungled execution (more than 1 shot required).

I have personally euthanized several of my own pets, and I’ll be damned of I’d take the risk of causing them unnecessary pain by being a cheap bastard.

I think people only get put off by it because it’s a fuzzy, cute, animal. If it were say… a pet ant… quite a few less people give a damn.

Millions of animals are killed day by day. Burger King, Mcdonalds, Chick Filet, etc etc… the list is endless. One man killing his dog because it is about to go through a painful death is nothing short of merciful.

@jca I don’t know if Sis was aware that this was his intention, as we never discussed it. I would hope that they did.

It doesn’t change the question though. Even if they both agreed to the method, was it a better method of mercy killing than taking Chance to the vet, or is something “off” about this person?

Horses are shot if they have a leg injury. Pets depend on their masters to decide for them if they must go through a long, potentially painful death or a short one. I don’t know that the method is the issue. I will always regret waiting too long to have one of my cats euthanized. (I personally couldn’t shoot anything.)

It’s terrible to think about and I wouldn’t do that to an animal. I’d probably look at hubby differently if he was able to do it too. I would rather spend the extra cash to have it peacefully put to sleep but I don’t begrudge other peoples choice to use the bullet. Just don’t tell me about it afterwards.

Maybe they didn’t have the money for the vet. I think it takes a strong person or a cold-hearted person to be able to do that. I couldn’t. I would have taken the dog to the vet. I am all for mercy killing to prevent a long, drawn out painful death, which it doesn’t sound like the dog was at the point anyway, but I am all for it, but I couldn’t do it.

If the dog was a beloved pet, but sick, terminal and in pain, it was a merciful way to do it. We all know how dogs hate going to the vet and the stress it causes just getting out of the car and going inside the office. Why stress the dog any more than necessary?
Heck, since my surgery, I almost pee myself every time I pass the Urologist’s office!
If he took the dog out to a place they both enjoyed and did it quickly, it was merciful.
I imagine the guy feels badly about it but did what he thought needed to be done. (I’m not sure I could do it.)

This is common on farms and ranches, not only with dogs but all the other animals on the property. The men I know who have done this were not “off” and they were not cold-hearted. My husband had to take care of several animals himself when he worked at a ranch for several years.

Very difficult for me to condone that. I would always take the dog of a vet and let them do it more humanely!!

I guess he didn’t want the dog to suffer needlessly, but it still doesn’t sound like an act of love to me.

If the dog’s quality of life was gone, that’s one thing .. but just deciding it’s time to end it because there are problems or the dog is old… not cool IMO.

@Sys This is different. It isn’t a human that can communicate their desire. Chance wasn’t an animal that existed to be killed for human consumption. He was an extension of the family that had been around for years.

@digitalimpression @LuckyGuy Chance wasn’t about to experience a painful death. He was just old and slowing down.

@jjca You’ve hit the nail on the head. Is this a cold-blooded person or someone with compassion that doesn’t look like what the mainstream does?

@jSunny2 I agree with you that the method is not the issue. The bullet, as far as I know, instantly killed the dog, so it might be considered more humane than dragging a pet to the vet’s office for a lethal shot.

@jonsblond Thank you for that bit of information. While the BIL didn’t grow up on a farm, he obviously came to his own conclusion that this was a better way for Chance to die.

I consider it murder. Of the worst kind, too, because it involves betrayal of the highest order.

He did it out of respect for his friend, not a betrayal of trust.

Would you rather die in a hospital or in a familiar beautiful field? With a friend or with a stranger making the decision?

I think it’s an act of love and a courageous way to handle something that should be dignified for everyone.

@funkdaddy
Does not matter to the dog. It did not expect to suddenly get murdered by a bullet to the head and it certainly did not consent to it.

Owners can pretty much put their pets to sleep at any time I think. Especially if the health of the pet is ailing. I guess we can pay the vet or do what your BIL did. He did it out of mercy it sounds?

@ragingloli – I definitely don’t want to argue about it but I’d encourage you to sit with something or someone you love in it’s last days and see which you’d prefer.

I’ve decided which I consider kinder and if you have as well then we’ll just disagree.

@Pied_Pfeffer Is the BIL a hunter? Everyone I know who has done this is also a hunter. They only need one shot. They don’t want the animal to suffer. One of my husband’s co-workers slipped up and needed to take an extra shot once and he felt terrible about his mistake. This doesn’t sound like a cold-hearted person imo.

@jonsblond While the BIL has been more of a hunter with a camera than a gun, he does own rifles. A fraction of my youth was spent hanging out with him shooting at targets, be it by gun or bow and arrow. He attended a military university, although never actively participating in a war.

My previous dog of 11 years suffered a stroke just over two years ago so I went to the vet and went through all the meds and home care I could possibly do. We fought it together but a little over 2 months later she passed anyway and did suffer unnecessarily so near the extreme end but I wanted to try. I wasn’t ready to let go but in retrospect she was way ahead of me and we had to have the vet put her down.

snif

A few month ago my Stealth Night Vision camera picked and photographed an animal the size of a dog moving very slowly through my property. A few days later I saw it in the orchard. It was a deer dragging itself by its front legs. Both rear legs were flopping freely from below the “knee” joints. I’m guessing it had been hit by a car. It was awful to watch. When I went to investigate it slithered off into the woods again. I could have left it alone and let the coyote or fox finish it. But the daily night vision pictures broke my heart. It was all I could think about.
I put out corn and smashed a bunch of apples and left them in a spot visible from the kitchen window. I couple of days later I saw it on the ground peacefully eating the corn. One shot from my 1100 with a 20 ga. deer slug to the base of the head and it was over. My neighbor helped me drag the carcass to a spot far from the house. It was gone without a trace in a week. I did not enjoy doing it it. I just did what I felt was right.
Maybe that is how your BIL felt.

@LuckyGuy Gracious, in my my book, you did the right thing. The difference in this scenario is the emotional bond to the creature that was killed and wasn’t suffering the ill-effects that the deer was.

I certainly would not want to get shot if I lost a limb.

—But anyway, I couldn’t personally shoot my dog but I understand completely the reasoning behind it—

I live in the country/mountains and shooting ones pets or livestock is still common place in rural areas. It’s not something I could do but if one is skilled really, it’s simply a matter of psychology, being that it makes us feel better to have the animal euthanized by a professional.
My neighbor just shot one of his sick sheep the other day. One shot, clean kill, and while I cringed at the sound of the rifle being fired and knew that was what was happening, I understand and don’t pass judgment. He would not shoot his dogs or horses, but smaller livestock, yes.

It wasn’t that long ago that shooting an animal was the only option.
We project our sentiments onto the situation because it is not as nice and sterile and “professional” as a vet visit but, dead is dead and again, while it is not something I would opt to do, if I HAD to do it, I would for the sake of the animal.

@ragingloli I would prefer to be shot if the alternative was to wait three days before being torn apart by a pack of coyote.
Just do it quickly with a supersonic, hollow point slug while I am eating some ice cream – or having sex.

I’d never tell that I guy I was sick.

I will keep that in mind if I find you with a broken leg in the forest.

I agree with the need to euthanize animals. I think it’s one of the obligations we accept when we create them.

As for method, I’m sure the dog would prefer being at home in the company of those he’d lived his life with. He doesn’t hear the bullet. It’s scary to us but not inhumane.

I have spent boatloads of money on my animals and have 3 vets I use. An Avian specialist that makes housecalls, a housecall/hospice care vet that does the same and another local ranch vet on call for emergencies. A hundred years ago there were no ranch vets traveling around in state of the art, $100k medical trucks with every medical option known to man at their disposal.
I have also called the game warden several times to come and “dispatch” car hit deer.
In these cases shooting is the only option, you cannot get close enough to a wounded wild animal to give it the nice little lights out injection.

@Pied_Pfeffer My point about a pet versus a production animal was an attempt to point out the hypocrisy of our attitudes towards animals. It’s also why I don’t eat meat.

I have no problem with ending the suffering of an animal – it’s often absolutely the kindest thing. But my point is that in the case of a pet, there is an option that allows for a painless (chemical) death. And while it’s possible that he was skilled enough and lucky enough to have dispatched the dog quickly and painlessly, I have personally seen animals move or jump at the last moment and thus only be injured, not killed (my own experience is of wildlife, not pets). Having to approach a screaming, thrashing animal to deliver the coup de grace is not something I ever want to have to see again.

@ragingloli Thank you. I’ll call you first if I’m ever fatally injured. If I see you carrying a dish of chocolate ice cream I’ll start making out my will.
Being a fellow science geek you’ll appreciate the effort that went into the ammo selection. I did not want to startle the inured deer. The food was at a distance of 70 meters. I picked that particular ammo so the slug would reach the deer before the sound – even with the speed drop off due to air friction.

I have no problem with putting a sick or terminally injured animal down with a gunshot as long as it is done quickly and cleanly. I know tons of country men and women who have had to do it at one point or another and they aren’t stone cold killers who got off on the act. I had to personally shoot a rabid coyote once, myself.

@funkdaddy: This dog was not in its last days. Also, if it were taken to the vet, it would not be “a stranger making the decision” it would be the owner.

The fact that he did it without telling anybody is cruel to the people who loved the dog and makes me think he knew what he was doing was wrong, or at least something that others would not approve of. People are usually very tight-lipped when they know they are doing something wrong.

Some people seem to see this as an issue of humanity. Their pets should be treated like humans and you wouldn’t put a human down, would you?

Others seem to see this as an issue of mercy and keeping creatures from suffering. You don’t want them to suffer any longer than they have to. It is a loving and merciful thing to put your animal down yourself. I think some people feel there is honor in doing it yourself, rather than passing it off to a commercially motivated vet who doesn’t know the animal.

Personally, I would never think of a pet like a human and I would never own a gun. So for me, the merciful thing would be to take the pet to the vet. This is exactly the decision my daughter had to make when her guinea pig got an impacted bowel. She stayed with her animal as it was given the drugs to put it to sleep.

I agree with the need to euthanase , but from the description it doesn’t seem like it was necessary in that particular case at that particular time. Avoiding future vets bills and time spent caring for a pet is not, in my opinion, a valid reason for euthanasia.

@wundayatta: I agree with you except that this dog was not near suffering, it seems. I think from the description he was old but not at death’s door.

@jca so why do you think the guy put the dog down, if the dog wasn’t at death’s door?

Well, some people do take the view that it is “just a dog.” I don’t mean they don’t care about the dog, just that they don’t think of a dogs life the same as a human life, and don’t get as attached as some of us might get. That type of person might kill their dog sooner than the type of person who really thinks of their pet as part of the family.

@wundayatta: I don’t know. I’m just going by the OP’s description. Maybe they wanted to avoid vet bills that might be coming down the line? It’s not my description, it’s the OP’s: ” Chance wasn’t about to experience a painful death. He was just old and slowing down.” Also “experiencing health issues, albeit none terminal.”

Well, I’m one in the not popular camp that thinks, depending on the animals personality and how bonded they are to you, and especially elderly pets where a change of home would be traumatic for them, that euthanasia is the better option.
My 14 yr. old goose is so imprinted on me, I raised him from a 2 week old gosling and we have a very special relationship.
To give him away to someone is not an option. Few people would treat a goose the way I do and I think it far preferable to opt for euthanasia over re-homing in certain circumstances.

If one knows extreme expense is coming and they cannot afford expensive care, it may be best to say “goodbye” sooner rather than later.
My old goose that I had euthanized in ‘08 had the best of care until the end, with a home euthanasia, a specialist she saw bi-monthly for months and months, multiple medications for a crippling foot condition and me, having the time to carry her around for months on end from the shade to the sun to her pool multiple times a day. I planned my life around that bird, happily so. :-)

Still..with winter coming on and having to manage her declining health I opted to euthanize her a few months sooner, as I could not manage the degree of care needed in the winter months short of moving into the barn fulltime.

What’s important is quality of life over quantity.

I personally think the bond between a dog & it’s owners is, or should be, way too strong to execute this course of action.

It was brave and tough love. And is the traditional way people killed horses they loved. However it may have been more comforting to the dog if he had been given a death cocktail and held by the owner. I’d hate to think that the owner didn’t get an instant kill shot.

It only gets folks riled up because we humanize everything.

In nature the terminally sick and ailing are forced from the group and left to die alone. This is only if the group doesn’t turn on them and take care of the situation themselves.

It would utterly destroy me emotionally to have to put down either one of my dogs but I would much rather take that responsibility upon myself than leave a total stranger to do it in an unfamiliar place.

If you take on a pet you need to realize that you are more than likely going to outlive the animal and the issue is going to come up at some point.

Speaking of humanizing, I know that I would much rather die at home with the people I love than in a hospital and if I had to have some help with the dying, well, I would hope it would be somebody I love helping me along than and not some paid physician I never knew.

I am a complete and total dog lover but I have no problem with this scenario. I am not good enough with a gun to attempt it myself but when I lived in the middle of nowhere and had 2 aging dogs, I had an agreement with a local bloke to go with me into the bush and get the job done with a single shot. My little dog hates the vet, she is completely terrified. I know the time is coming for her and I would much rather have her shot in the woods sniffing for a rodent, then shaking in terror in a vet’s office. Not to mention the expense, I know what a shot of nembutal costs and I really don’t think the vet’s time is __that__ valuable.

Also I have attended the demise of many pets for owners who could not do the job. Twice the dog has not gone peacefully, it was a hellish experience, in both cases and both were large dogs, they threw back their heads and howled an unearthly noise. One laid there and howled because he was too sick to do much else, the other still had some vitality left and she leapt around in a demented fashion while howling. The vets (different vets) offered no explanation about what caused this but let me tell you, it was not pleasant to watch. I now demand that the animal be completely tranquilized before the fatal injection is given. Oddly enough, I often have to argue with the vet (again different vets) about this, I have no idea why they should object except they lose their opportunity to exercise their god syndrome? It means more money in their pockets so the objections make no sense to me but I don’t care, I insist upon it. I don’t ever want to see an animal go through that again. In both those cases, I would have preferred shooting, even if it took 2 bullets.

I think it would be very wrong if she was not told of the plan beforehand.

Like many have said, this is extremely common in rural areas. I grew up on a farm. My dad has done this, my mom has, my grandparents have, etc. I grew up around it. It was done to pets and livestock (not always shooting in the head with a gun; some animals are too big or small – sometimes a twist of the neck, slit of the throat, hit on the head with a shovel and many other ways). It bothered me immensely as a child.

I could not and would not do this. If the reason for dying is old age, I would have a vet come to my home to do it under my supervision. If I could not possibly afford the vet, I would find a way to do it humanely (like the animal simply fell asleep).

It takes a certain person to put a pet down; the method of doing so is just as diverse in ability/capability with these people. Many could have an animal put down the vet way (without watching), but not many can do it themselves (especially by the more violent solution in the question). As @rooeytoo stated, while I was typing, sometimes the vet way is really much more violent. Any animal I share my life with will be tranquillized before the injection.

I don’t think it was necessarily wrong for the BIL to do what he did (as long as she knew about it beforehand). Of course, the reason is important too but I didn’t see much about that in this question; I would hope there is a valid reason to put the dog down. I know nothing of this person so I can not say whether he is cold hearted, brave or compassionate. Shooting an animal in the head (to end their life) is not horrible in itself (it is usually quick and painless), the horrible part comes from whomever is doing it and WHY. If that makes sense.

@rooeytoo . . . yeah. i’ve seen them go rough with an injection a couple of times. every bit as painful to see as a botched shooting. :(

I think some people just see dogs as being dogs and others see them as part of ourselves. I don’t think they are cold blooded simply not the type of people to really bond with their pet. Its like hunters minds. I know for a fact I could never kill an animal to eat so long as my stomach is being fed.. I’m sure though I could kill and animal to eat to survive. There are just people who aren’t as sensitive about killing and animal. So its not that I think them cold blooded but just extremely practical thinkers about our position on the food chain.
I remember a story about an old man who watched his dog attack his grandson. He even stepped in and got bit himself and he could’ve shot the dog but he wouldn’t because he loved his dog. Needless to say he was ordered to have the dog killed. I know in such a case I would choose the child over the dog. Not because the dog means nothing to me but because the kid would mean more. My instinct would be the survival of my own species.
To me it would be odd to kill a dog simply because it is getting old. Unless its in a lot of pain, I would not consider it. So although I could and cannot understand his reasoning, I would just assume he does see any reason to keep an animal around if it no longer can serve a purpose. There are people who keep dogs for protection and don’t see a point in keeping them around once they can no longer serve as protector. To them they are not being cold hearted but practical.
To me it would be cold hearted.
I wonder though. Was he maybe getting cranky and unpredictable and was possibly become a threat to family members? My sisters dog would bite anyone when she was cranky for the last two years. She went from a very sweet and loving dog to cujo. She was small though so not a threat. A german shepard can be quite a threat if his behaviour became unpredictable.

This question reminded me of a co-worker. She used to come to work almost daily complaining of how sick the dog was. The way she described the dogs suffering made me ill. The dog was blind, had trouble walking (so taking her out to relieve herself was impossible), the dog had tumors and cancer and I think it was diabetic or something. Anyway, I used to get angry at her because I would think to myself that she should have the dog put to sleep. She let that dog suffer for another 6 months to a year before she finally couldn’t take it but she was still too emotionally attached to the dog and finally she begged her husband to take the dog to the vet and had her put down. In a situation like that I may have just OD’ed the dog to put her out of her misery if I didn’t have money for a vet but to let the animal suffer for so long was cruel in my thinking.

I don’t have a problem with the method as long as it is done cleanly. I think there is much less upset to the dog than being dragged to the scary vet’s office. Could I personally do it? Unlikely… but in a scenario where the dog is suffering and wouldn’t make the trip to the vet? Maybe.

@Blondesjon – yep, it ain’t a pretty sight! It actually gave me nightmares.

On the other hand I was spending some time on a cattle station here in oz. The guy was running about 3000 beasts as they called them on 75,000 acres. That is all the land could support, dry country that. Anyhow at one watering station there was a cow down and couldn’t get up. He got out his gun, went over to her and stroked her head and told her she had been the best cow she could be and he thanked her. Then he shot her in the head. He cried, I cried, I still cry when I remember it. But I admired the guy for doing what needed to be done and I respected him for the manner in which he did it. Same guy also does vaginal hysterectomies in the field, no drugs. I asked him how he could do it and he said that is why they call them beasts. If he allowed himself to think of them as sentient creatures, he couldn’t do what he had to do and the meat eaters of the world would be deprived. But I saw his tears when he shot that cow and I heard his words so I still don’t know how he does it really. I don’t eat much beef and when I do, it is only free range, killed locally.

I don’t know if the BIL talked it over with sis before the deed was done or not. I wondered about this, but figured that if he didn’t, she probably would have mentioned it. By the time I found out, there wasn’t any point in asking. If I had to take a wild guess, I would say that they did discuss it.

For all who are wondering about the cost factor: They could have afforded the vet bill, had that been their choice.

Thank you all for your perspective. Knowing this guy well and that he isn’t emotionally wired like most people, it was difficult to take a step back and look at his actions objectively. Plus, it really disturbed our mother. Personally, I thought it was a good way for Chance to go, albeit a bit premature.

@tinyfaery “I’d never tell that I guy I was sick. I couldn’t stop laughing at that response. Oddly, the only time I’ve ever witnessed him show any emotion towards another living creature was when my sister (long divorced from him by then) was dying. We were standing by her bedside, and I noticed that he was crying.

because he was not allowed to shoot her in the head

@ragingloli Ouch. And frankly, if she had requested that her suffering end before natural causes intervened, I would have considered doing it myself. The hospice gave us a vial of morphine that would have done the deed if she was overdosed. An autopsy wouldn’t have been done, so the personal risk was minimal.

@ragingloli – did you never have a sick old pet that needed to be put down? Did you just allow them to suffer until their heart could beat no longer? Your quips sound like someone who has either never faced the agonizing decision regarding an ailing pet or the sort who would stand by and watch the suffering from a high moral ground of allowing nature to take its course.

There is such a thing, a strange thing, that you may have never heard of. It is called “medicine”. To heal. Or at least to ease the pain while it fades away. Of course that would never occur to you. It is just an animal after all. Not worth all the effort. Better to actively murder it and spare yourself the expense.
We had a guinea pig once. Became sick. Then given to the neighbour who ran over it with a lawnmower tractor. Never even considered visiting a vet.
Or the hamster. Uncle grabbed it and smashed it on the floor full force.
It disgusts me.

Those things are disgusting and worlds away from euthansia or a shot in the head to end the suffering.

If medicine healed all ills no one would ever die. When death is imminent and an animal is suffering, I project my own feelings and I see that their misery is ended. It is not pleasant but I feel it is part of the responsibility I take upon myself when I adopt an animal.

If you can’t agree and would rather hope that a pill eases the suffering, then that is your right as the supreme being in charge of the animal. But I think that is the cruelty and disgusting behaviour, not the peaceful ending of the suffering.

If the health issues were due to old age but not terminal then I would imagine the dog was still experiencing a decent quality of life (especially if he could still go out for walks). If that was the case then I feel the act was unnecessary.

If the dogs quality of life was going downhill fast then I can understand why your BIL decided to put the dog out of his misery. Personally I wouldn’t choose to shoot an animal myself and would opt for taking it to the vet and holding it whilst it was euthanised but, providing your BIL knew how to make the dogs death quick and pain free, there isn’t much difference.

Edit: having read some more of your posts on here it sounds like the dog had simply become an inconvenience in his old age. If that’s the case then I strongly disagree with your BIL’s actions.

This is why I prefer home euthanasia, because the trauma of transporting an animal to the vet in it’s 11th hour is cruel in itself. One of my old kitties I had put down two years ago was in heart failure, I am sure that the stress of going to the vet would have killed him on the drive.
House call euthanasia is a little pricier than the vet, of course, running around $200, but, worth every penny IMO. In past situations I have prepared a grave the day before, had the vet out, and my last 2 cats and goose went peacefully at home, in my arms and lying on my bed.

Everyone keeps talking about this dog as if it was in its 11th hour, but according to the description, it was just old, not infirm.

@jca it just said ‘health issues’, ‘none terminal’. I can certainly imagine that several health issues could degrade quality of life quite a bit. Plus there is the question of what the human is prepared to do, or how far to go, in caring for the pet. I had a dog who had seizures and heart failure. As time went on, he was no longer able to go all night without defecating, but wouldn’t wake us up… DH said many times that if he were the sole caregiver, the dog would have been gone. To me, it(cleaning up poop) was just a pet care duty; he couldn’t help it, and to me, it wasn’t sufficient reason to end it. (The dog did have reasonable quality of life at that point although he was obviously unhappy at pooping on the floor.)

I see no practical difference between that and euthanasia, beyond the facts that bullets really are much less expensive and euthanasia can’t miss. Taking the dog to his favorite spots one last time sounds kinder than one last trip to the vet.
@people It’s not like bullets are inherently evil, you know.

@ragingloli Do you decry veterinary euthanasia as well, or are you just being mean about bullets? A well-placed shot exceeds the capabilities of even the sharpest senses, making it even more effective than a painkiller overdose. Anyhow, wounded deer are the most dangerous kind that there is to approach. Getting close enough to do anything helpful means moving into range of its hooves – and the deer thinks that you’re a predator.

@ccrow: OP also (later) said “Chance wasn’t about to experience a painful death. He was just old and slowing down.”

^^Oops, I guess I skimmed too fast…