Does it seem a bit inhumane to charge people for putting their pets to sleep?

My sisters kid just had a cat put down. Once he found out there was no hope and found out the cost to have the cat put down was significant he said he would take care of it (bullet) and the vet waved the fee. And I have experienced that a few other times.

My dentist is a greedy yacht wanting colostomy bag. But I have a lot of respect for vets. I don’t think you go into it for the cash.

I think appreciating a special circumstance, as @johnpowell describes, is a good thing, but no, I don’t think it’s inhumane to charge for euthanizing a pet. Unless you have run the numbers yourself, you likely don’t understand the cost circumstances.

It’s part of responsible pet ownership, factoring these things into the cost of having a pet.

Did you send this to syz?

Not really. Someone has to pay for the drugs and some vet will do extra. When I put my dog to sleep, The doctor was very nice and patient and gave us as much time as we wanted. They also cut a lock of his hair and made an imprint of his paw. They didn’t charge us for that and we didn’t pay for that. They also told me how they would handle his body for cremation. I paid for drugs administered and for his urn and cremation. I wasn’t charged for the doctors services, nor the room. Just the drugs. The urn and cremation is done by someone else. They even sent us a condolence card. They were all very nice and I could even see it was hard on the doctor and the staff. It reminded me that it has to be hard to be in that profession and put down someones loved pet.

@Pandora My experience was similar and I agree.

Hey Y’all. Please read the details. I’ve owned a small business and I understand the costs of operation. I understand the need for profit after overhead is met.

So are you just looking for us all to agree with you? Why ask the question then? I wouldn’t expect a palliative care doctor or hospice worker to work for nothing, why would I expect a vet to euthanize for nothing. Compassion and concern yes, but a bill as well.

My only argument against the presented thought is that there are people out there who bring their unwanted pets in and just want them put to sleep. Maybe this happens more at shelters and I’m not sure they always do euthanize them, but if the pet is elderly or considered unadoptable, it does happen.
Plus… should people trying to keep their pets alive have to then pay more? Sometimes it is nearly impossible to do so from a financial perspective.

The one time I have had to put down a loved pet, I was relieved and thankful for the vet’s services.

The cost was tiny compared to the the alternative of watching my kitty suffer.

RIP ReeRee. You were the best. I still think of you often.

I see your point. But they’re in business to make money, and while you probably aren’t getting ripped off, the drugs cost them money, it takes so much drug per pound of animal, they have to know-how to administer the drugs properly, and they are doing you and your pet a good service.

Everything a vet does is aimed at reducing the suffering.of animals. Why should euthanising a beloved pet be any different?

I took my cat to the same vet for yearly checkups including blood tests and vaccines for 15 years. The last 2 years of my cat’s 18 year life I spent nearly $2K in vet bills for cancer surgery and expensive tests.

When my cat lost his eye sight and stopped eating (he was skin and bones) it was time to euthanize him. Of course the vet charged me $80 end my cat’s suffering.

I thought that considering all the money that I’ve already paid the vet that he would give me a little break and not charge me. No way.

It’s difficult to pass judgement on the vet, based on the information given. There really is no way to determine just how close to the wire the doctor’s practice is hovering. The vet carries the same baggage (sometimes more) as the rest of us in “making ends meet”. Give him the benefit of the doubt.

It’s a nice idea to make that service free. I think as long as the vet isn’t gouging for the service it’s ok though. He is spending time doing it, and some money on the drugs. When my sister put her cat to sleep the vet came to her house, and did not rush her at all. He spent well over an hour, plus his travel time. I think a minimal fee is ok. Certainly, the vet can wave the fee depending on the person’s circumstance.

Hey, @Dutchess_lll, I did read the details, and I, too, have been a business person, so I recognize that not all business costs are the same. Do I remember that you guys had a repair shop of some kind? And/or a hardware store? Different circumstances.

What @janbb said in her second post.

No, the medicine and room time and kindness shown to me is worth the $50, plus they dispose of the body if you like. I always get a lovely card afterwards, as well. My vet is so kind about it, is there on the floor of the office with me, gently lowering my pet to the blanket they encourage me to bring from home, etc…I’d pay more than $50 for that excellent service and keeping my babies calm and feeling loved.

“When the need arises – and it does – you must be able to shoot your own dog”. – Lazarus Long

I made the decision to take my old dog in to the vet and pay for the medication rather than take the cheaper option of the bullet. He was a good friend for sixteen years and he deserved to peacefully die in my arms rather that the shock of the bullet entering his brain.

I did not begrudge the fee the vet charged, It was worth the cost. He was worth the cost.

@rojo Aw heck no, no way I would do that when there’s a shot that will spare me the emotional turmoil. Although I’ve heard a lot of people say a 25 cent bullet is cheaper than a $50 vet visit.

The vet has not only the cost of the drugs, but there’s the cost of his building, maintenance on the building, maintenance on the equipment the practice uses, there’s employees that must be paid, lights, water, gas, etc.

No one enters veterinarian practice to make money, but they still have keep an eye on the bottom line nonetheless.

When our first dog needed to be put down, we couldn’t afford to pay anyone to help us. Hubby took her to the woods at the back of the property and a bullet in her brain was swift and painless. I wanted to be there too but I had little kids to care for that I did not want to witness it.

The next time, we had a veterinarian put her to sleep while we were there. We paid for her time and services, as was appropriate.

In the end, both ways work. I’m guessing that if you don’t own property or have a friend who’d be willing to let you put a pet down on their property, it might be illegal. I’ve heard of people being arrested for shooting a pet in public. Maybe it would be because of a violation of shooting a gun too close to a house or road… but I suspect it might have more to do with the idea they thought they were abusing the animal.

It’s a convoluted system of laws combined with lots of drama and silliness.

Hardships abound.
Sadness lurks everywhere.

It hurts my feelings a lot I am unable to do my own yardwork. Should somebody come around and mow, weed whack, and plant a garden for free?

I am never a proponent of euthanasia, both for human and animals. I believe living creature should leave this world the natural way if it’s really the time they must go but that is just my personal opinion.

I don’t think that putting the euthanasia fee burden on other customers would be a fair idea. It’s your pet, if you wish to use the service you have to be responsible to pay the expenses, it’s your responsibility as pet owner and the vet couldn’t be fault for charging you for it. Not to mention that emotional aspects should never go hand-in-hand with business principles.

@snowberry There are several laws to contend with actually. No discharge of a weapon in city limits (usually), and yes, animal abuse (you have to be able to provide a vet diagnosis of no recovery possible) and even if you choose to euthanize, they prefer you to use a vet at home, or get the shot from an understanding vet to use at home. Apparently one shot does not always work for inexperienced gun owners.

And, they don’t like you to bury animals inside the city limits. Ha! I buried my dog in the back yard with his favorite toy. Try and find him.

BTW the act of digging a grave, placing you friend in it and filling it back in again is a wonderful way to bring closure for yourself. It also helps dispel the pent up frustration of being unable to help more.

And really, there are humane ways (not involving bullets) that you can do this at home, without trying to guilt the vet into doing it for free.

@canidmajor Money is money. It doesn’t matter the circumstances, repair shop or veternarian. Raise the cost of other things a little, and just offer the euthanizaton for “free.” That way you, the vet, really are NOT out any money.

You are such an odd group. Why would you assume I would try to guilt trip my vet? We had our Dutchess put to sleep yesterday and that is what prompted this question. We had 2 options: 1) $55 and we take her body with us to do whatever with or 2) Cremation which would have been $200 + (they outsourced the cremation). We opted to take her body with us. I had to ask for a sheet or something to wrap her up in. It was all so traumatic and Rick was my hero.
It would be simple for the vet to make up that $55 over the lifetime of taking our animals to him. About 15 years and 6 or 7 animals over those years.

@Dutchess_III Or even a policy that if you’ve gone to him for __ many years, you will get euthansia for free. I do see your point.

It’s so odd that they didn’t tell you to bring a blanket or anything, although our vet usually uses large black garbage bags for body removal. Our vet even euthanized my girl after an accident once and didn’t ask for payment until I called like a week later asking if he was billing me.

Or a card board box or something so we didn’t have to carry her body as it’s getting cold and stiff.

I had my 15 year old dog put down in 1996. It seems like it was about $30 and I just left her body with them. However, I had the presence of mind to bring an old sheet with me. I just didn’t think of it this time because I assumed we’d just leave her there.

I am sorry about your dog, it’s very hard, and I know your other one is old, and the emotional pain is great. I wish for her a little more good time with the family.

As to your “money is money” assertion, save the money and do it yourself. Charging for a service is not inhumane, no matter how much you may dislike how someone runs their business. Different businesses have different levels of expense priorities.

@Unofficial_Member _ “I am never a proponent of euthanasia, both for human and animals. I believe living creature should leave this world the natural way if it’s really the time they must go but that is just my personal opinion.” _

Thing is by having a pet you’ve already interfered with the natural way. You then have a moral obligation to tend to them to the greatest extent you can, and to ease their suffering when the time comes.

@Unofficial_Member. You mean you take the high ground and stand there and watch while my dog slowly strangled to death? You think that is more ethical than a painless falling asleep?

@rojo Planting your beloved pet in the backyard despite what the law says might ruin your community’s drinking water wells. Ha! Try to find new ones! (Moral: They don’t make laws just to piss people off.)

Yeah, sure. ^^ more commonist propaganda. By the time the water passes through my pet, travels 2800 feet through the earth and is mixed in with all the cattle manure, pesticides, petroleum products dumped, not to mention the arsenic left over from Elf/Atochem and such there is not much chance of it being toxic. Besides, they are in the process of selling all of our water to San Antonio and I hope those bastards do get sick because of it.

@Darth_Algar Nope. That is human way of thinking. Moral obligation is human value and dogs don’t understand, agree, or even able to consent to such thing. I believe dogs should be allowed to leave this world on their own term but I will also respect the law that state a dog is a property of its owner so the owner has every right to euthanized the dog so I abide the law but don’t think it’s necessarily right.

@Dutchess_III I hate to say this but isn’t it more selfish to have your dog forfeited its life just because you couldn’t handle your own emotional condition? Have you ever considered the possibility that it doesn’t want to leave your side or even this world? Did you feel you’ve earned a consent from the dog? What if your dog wants to remain alive and stay with you even though it knows that it has difficult health problem? Will you still dispose of the dog just because it cause you personal sadness?

@Unofficial_Member

So have you ever asked your dog if it consents to be your pet? Have you ever asked your dog for its consent to be confined indoors, or on a leash when outside? Has your dog ever gave its consent to be your property? Have you ever asked your dog what its terms are for leaving this world?

Consent is as much a human concept as moral obligation is. Surely you realize this yourself.

@Darth_Algar You do realize that dogs aren’t able to communicate to human through speech so there is no point to ask them. The idea of being someone’s pet or property is human’s perspective and no pet has the capability to understand such complex interpretation. Dogs can, however, understand and have the ability to exercise their own freedom that allow them to give consent to who can touch them, who can enter their territory, or other basic concept that is part of a dog’s nature. How a dog perceives the idea of death for itself is debatable but that doesn’t mean that it is right or fair for someone to just dictate that a dog must die just because they believe that they can’t tolerate the dog’s current condition. Disregrading an animal’s will to live just to comfort human’s feelings is just too selfish for me. People shouldn’t take animal’s life or their freedom of wanting to be alive lightly. We can legally own a dog’s life by law but that doesn’t mean it is right to cut down its life whenever our emotion couldn’t handle the dog’s condition.

What makes you certain that the dog would rather suffer through untreatable cancer than have an easier passing?

Spin it however you like, but you’re still applying your perspective on to another creature while being critical of others for doing that.

Besides, by the very fact of having a pet you take away its own agency. The animal becomes completely dependant on you for everything. If the natural way and the animal’s own will were truly your concern you would not take a pet and would leave all animals to fend for themselves.

What a pet would rather have for its life cannot be judged by human so I won’t concern myself with that but one thing is obvious here, any pet own their own life and have inherent right of wanting to be alive and I will never think of my personal decision is more important than the life of my pets.

I did not spin anything. I think you are trying to justify taking a pet’s life for personal reasons or that human’s opinion is more important the existence of the life of their pets. The life of another creature is not a personal perspective, it is a fact. I won’t persecute other people because they have their pets euthanized. I have a right to not wanting to support the idea of robbing a pet of its life and freedom to be alive just because of human perspective.

It is a very unfair and selfish idea to think that you own the life of another creature just because they depend on you. So you feed, protect, care, etc for your pets and you think you can take its life whenever you feel like it? At least the law allows you to do that so I have no doubt people have no problem to use their authority and legality to do this. As if the pet itself has no saying in the matter regarding the continuity of its life. I take animals in to my life because I care about their life, I want them to live longer and the chance is higher when they have someone to look after them but that doesn’t mean I have the right to extinguish their lives when they are in problems. I care for my pets and they still hold their own lives in their own paws.

@Unofficial_Member I consider it extremely selfish to let an animal languish and suffer pain unnecessarily. I believe firmly that euthanasia is often the kindest choice an owner can make and often the kindest choice for suffering humans too although of course that is their own decision. Animals have no idea that their suffering might or might end, they have no fear of death so a kind and gentle death is often the most compassionate choice you can make for them.

It seems that you are arguing from a theoretical point of view; have you ever had an animal who was dying of a slow and miserable disease in your care?

Wow. @Unofficial_Member, obviously we can’t communicate with out dogs, but you are assuming they would rather suffer in agony than die. I assume they’d rather be out of their misery. Which of is us right?

There are tons and tons of dead bugs, possums, coyotes, horses, cows, snakes, worms, birds, cats, dogs, every animal you can think of whose corpses are rotting and the rain water has to pass through them….and you think my one little dog is going to make a difference?

@Unofficial_Member

I think it is very selfish and unfair to allow an animal that you’ve taken responsibility for to linger and suffer unnecessarily because you only then decide that you want to defer to nature.

Whether you choose to euthanize your pet or choose to let it lie there in agony until “nature” takes it’s course. You are still making a choice.

GA @anniereborn. No matter what, you are making the choice, not your pet.

@janbb I think it is unfair to exclude the animal’s right to be alive just because the owner think death is the solution to the pet’s problem. Do you dare to say that an animal will be looking forward for its own death? Has it never crossed your mind that your pet is trying its best to stay alive even though it has its problems? To ignore any living beings’ effort to stay alive and deem death is the cure for them couldn’t be anymore selfish. Just because animals have no fear of death does not mean their best effort to prolong their lives should be ignored.

Of course I have had animals gone through the passage of life in my care. Dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, etc. They all died the natural way. Some have health problems in their old ages but we keep them alive, take the best care for them so that despite the problems that they have their lifespan can be prolonged for as long as possible. If human have the privilege to stay alive and defend their right to be alive despite the health problems they are sustaining then I think it should be fair that such treatment is also applied to our pets that we have long considered as one of our own. Just because we don’t know whether or not our pets agree to their own death does not mean the answer is yes. If a pet is diagnosed with incurable disease then I believe the best solution is to lavish the pet with the best attention and treatment until the end of its life, not deeming that the animal must simply die.

@Dutchess_III You assume your pet will rather die? Is your personal assumption is more important then a living being’s basic right of wanting to stay alive? I honestly can’t tell which of us is right as I myself couldn’t tell if my pets would rather die or try the best to stay alive when they seem to get close to death’s door. What I know is that they are alive to begin with, have been alive for a long time, and all animals have a right to remain alive so there is no way I can take what is so precious to them and all living creature. It would never have crossed my mind to have them killed because of health or physical problems. Heck, children have problems too and no parents would want their kids euthanized no matter how severe the health or physical problems their kids are sustaining. They want to do the best for their children so that they can remain alive for as long as can be. There is no reason we should treat our pet that we have considered as one of our own so lightly.

Some of animals you mentioned are wild animals, the others are either ferals, prey animals, or farm animals so I can’t see they all have the same circumstances that allow us to justify their death. You compared your little dog to those creature that are dead? You think its life has no significance compared to those animals that you don’t even know? I would like to think that you love your little dog so much that would respect its right to stay alive.

@Darth_Algar Likewise I believe it is very selfish and unfair to ignore your pets’ right and efforts to stay alive. You can comfort yourself that you did the best for your pets but at the end of the day that does not change the fact that you have robbed them of their right to stay alive without caring about their actual consent and efforts to stay alive. Of course all creature will eventually die but forcing a pet to relinquish its life simply because of personal perspective is not right no matter how you look at it.

@anniereborn Then not wanting to make a choice is also choice. As well as the choice of refusing to be made in to believing that I am making a choice.

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Honestly, all of you are so fixated on the pets only go through the agony while ignoring the fact that you never get a consent from the pets, or the fact that every animals have a strong will to live and try the best they can to stay alive no matter what circumstances they are sustaining. There is a possibility that despite your pets having to sustain the effect of their health problems they still want to remain alive simply because they want to be alive, that is not to be ignored just because you legally own their lives and can do whatever you want with them, it is still not right. At least you are not going to jail for disposing your pets’ lives because you deem that they don’t deserve to be alive anymore.

Look. I’ve had animals die a natural death in my home. This was a much different situation. The cancer was growing in her throat, and slowly cutting off her oxygen. She was slowly strangling to death. Is there actually some part of you that doesn’t understand how terrifying that would be for any animal?

^ Usually a surgery can fix that issue unless the case is discovered too late for any treatment to be effective but in case you feel you couldn’t afford it I still wouldn’t blame you and if the only solution resulted from that is the advice from your vet to get euthanasia then I will understand BUT if your vet give you an option to let your dog to live the rest of its live with the best care you can provide it and you decided not to do so then I am completely speechless. As I would think that you value death more than a precious long life.

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After doing my research about the matter I feel that I am a bit too adamant about the issue. I believe every pets have their own right to be alive and that should be respected thus I couldn’t agree with the idea of euthanasia since it takes away that very own thing from the creature but there are cases where our pets lose their ability to give their consent to their owners such like the cases of severe brain tumor where the sensory nerves are impaired for the animal to allow it think and in such cases I have no qualms about euthanasia since the animal really couldn’t have the capacity to think for itself anymore. However, in cases such as when a vet diagnosed your pet with respiratory issue and predict that it will live only as long as 3 years and you decided to euthanized it right away then I will not think it is right or fair. I will also think the same when you decided to get euthanasia at the end of third year without judging from the pets’ will to live first since was merely a prediction from a vet.

For the most part I stand firm with my belief regarding euthanasia, you wouldn’t believe how controversial this issue is out there, however, I am more lenient and will understand the reason of euthanasia where a death is dictated due to animal’s incapability to think or in situation where death is really the only solution that is better than prolonged life.

@Unofficial_Member It would have been thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars. Biopsy, chemo therapy, the works. I’m not going to put the kind of money into a dog. I couldn’t stand by and watch her die in utter terror. The fact that you could says something about you.

@Unofficial_Member _ “Usually a surgery can fix that“_

Did you get the animal’s consent for the surgery?

^ No, but the action resulting from the surgery is a possible prolonged lifespan. Unlike euthanasia, surgery does not cost the life of the pets, although sometimes risk is still involved just like any other surgery. Any creature has a right to live longer or as long as they are still breathing.

@Unofficial_Member You mean the right to live longer if they have the ability to chose that right if they are able? Even after being run over by a tractor and disc plow, or similar?? You know, they shoot horses that break legs…
It’s the humane thing to do and I would chose to be shot if I was such a horse or other animal. Perhaps you place too much value on just any old kind of life…

He seems to think it’s a virtue to watch an animal struggle in terror to breath because, you know, they’re still alive. They can’t control their bowels, they’re blind, they can’t walk, they have an injury that is breeding maggots, but hey. Too bad, so sad for the torture. They’re still alive and that’s the main thing.
You know, there are worse things than death.

@Unofficial_Member

Why do you assume that the animal wants a prolonged lifespan under such conditions? You seem to think that quantity of life is all that matters and give no thought to quality of life.

This discussion is oddly antagonistic. Most of us, and vets would agree, that ending a pet’s life when they are suffering is responsible owner behavior.

We’re kinder to our pets than we are to our people. We insist that people suffer until the bitter end. My Mom was in an unresponsive state for the last 6 months of her life. It was easy to assume no one was home in her brain, but she was there. One day when the nurses went to spoon feed her she clamped her teeth down and refused to eat. She couldn’t talk, but her wishes were clear.