Call me heartless, but shooting Old Yeller was unquestionably the right thing to do.
So maybe I did cry the first time I saw it, but let’s face it: We all love our pets.
No one wants to see their pet get put to sleep, even in the worst of illnesses and injuries, but we must remember that what is right for a human is not always right for an animal, even if we love it as much as our human companions.
I have seen people chase their pets around day-in and day-out trying to give them insulin and I have seen others keep their pet alive when it could barely move on its own.
Of course, it should not be assumed that making the choice to put a pet to sleep would be an easy one, but love cannot be taken too far either.
Needless to say, there are plenty of other factors involved, which cause people to feel as though keeping their pet alive is beneficial.
At times, even veterinarians give owners false hope and talk of complicated, confusing surgeries which may seem like the solution to the problem, when really the only thing that comes of it in the end is a load of money in their wallets.
While I believe most vets sincerely do care about animals, often times they also play a role in the prolonging of the animal’s suffering.
Pet owners must remember that just because an expensive surgery is available, it does not mean the animal will recover fully or be any happier afterward.
Humans sometimes tend to envision what they would want someone to do for them in that scenario, but humans are far different from household pets.
Humans dream to live full and complete lives and reach their dreams.
Animals are simpler and prefer the finer pleasures of a good chase in the backyard and do not feel the stress of searching for emotional fulfillment.
Therefore, when an animal is ailing and can no longer take part in the simplest of things, their life, much like ours without enrichment, becomes meaningless to them and no one should force their pet to continue on in such misery.
I have a German Shepherd of my own and she has been living with very mild hip dysplasia, a condition that plagues her breed and causes the joints to wear away and the joint sockets to bang into the hipbone.
I have already decided that in the event that she becomes too lame and feeble to carry out her normal hyperactive play, I will take her to be put to sleep.
This reason is because when I see her now, I see a bright, resilient, playful and exuberant friend.
When she becomes too old I will see-well, I’ll probably see the same thing-but I must remember that she is not a human and that being restrained is no way for an animal to live.
Pet owners should, of course, give their pets all the love they deserve, but it is best they keep in mind that while a surgery or medication may go so far, broken spirits cannot so easily be mended.
