Nineteen years ago, when the veterinarian suggested to put my beloved dog of seventeen years to sleep due to her legs giving out to arthritis, I did not want to go through with it.
When the “baby of the family” as my mother called her was put to sleep, we were not present. Even though I should have been there with her by her side I could not have stood anywhere next to her while someone ended her life.
I was her caretaker, her protector.
She was a significant part of our family. How could I be there and allow someone to take her life even if it were the thing to do to put animals out of their pain, misery, or medical discontent. It just was not right to me.
Days after I would wonder if she felt any pain during the situation and what she may have gone through. I wondered how she was put to sleep, what was the procedure. I just could not rest within myself.
Finally, I remembered a book I once purchased at a mall when I was twelve or thirteen years old titled “Everything You Need to Know About Understanding Your Dog”.
At the pet shop located inside the mall there was also a duplicate book for cats.
Through the pages of the book explained Euthanasia and how animals were given an overdose of anesthesia. It gave me comfort to know the event was painless but I had wished at the time that I had just let her come home and try to make her comfortable until the day when she would eventually pass away naturally. She was nowhere near death so I would have attempted to try therapeutic supplements to remedy her arthritis.
Having to, or having to make the decision to put a pet to sleep is horrible.
