Just Let The Damn Thing DIE!!!
At the risk of offending every single pet-owning reader out there, I say this: “please, just let the damn thing die.” I mean it. If I hear one more person complain about their drug-addicted, sweater-clad, blind, deaf, arthritic housepet, I swear I’m gonna scream. Let it die. Better yet, be the bigger person and help the damn thing along — Kill It.
Why this post? I’ve recently learned that my friend Mags’ dog, Mikey, is 105 years old in human years. And, he suffers from chronic ear affections, collapsed anal glands, arthritis, Alzheimer’s *AND* he can’t jump up so he needs to be carried like a small child *AND* he had a stroke 6 weeks ago. Still, her parents just spent more than $1,000 in vet bills to keep him alive. People!!! God put animals on this earth for one reason and one reason alone: To Be Eaten. ;) So, if you own a pet, please take this short quiz to see whether or not you should, er, well, just let the damn thing die:
- When you call your pet by its name, can it hear you?
- Can your pet see you? Does it bump into walls?
- If you convert your pet’s age to “human years”, would your pet be considered geriatric?
- Does your pet piss or vomit inside of your house regularly?
- Last summer, did you spend more $$$ to keep your pet alive than you did on your shoes for the season?
- Is your pet missing an arm or a leg?
- Do you lovingly administer AeroKat (pictured) or AeroDawg to your asmatic pet?
- Is your pet in therapy?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, please be advised that your pet is currently “living dead” — a being, much like Keith Richards, that appears to be living but is actually part of the walking dead in our midst. Please, get rid of it. Put it to sleep. Use whatever code phrase you want to use as a substitute for the simple truth that it’s time to just let the damn thing die!!
December 28th, 2006 at 1:13 am
We have had to do that a couple of times. Put a pet “to sleep”. Its not an easy thing to do but when the poor thing is suffering, why prolong things. I have a friend who has a dog with cancer. She spent $5000 in one year on treatment. Sorry, I loved my pets too, but that is just crazy!
December 28th, 2006 at 1:26 am
Damn, Stolie
How do you really feel about this issue?
December 28th, 2006 at 11:38 am
mel: Exactly. I, too, have nothing but love in my heart for our feline and kanine friends, but the whole keep-them-alive-until-they-rot craze has gone a bit too far.
Raymond: It *really* bugs me. Why? Can you tell? ;-) By the way, my friend “The E” sent me a link to THIS story today. Apparently the madness is spreading to Japan!
December 28th, 2006 at 11:53 am
I had to put my two beloved dogs down in 2005. My labmix was 11 and had cancer. She began to fail quickly and we put her down when her back legs began to fail. To wait any longer would have been risking possible injury when we were not at home. We put down out cockermix of 15 1/2 years a few months later. She had very limited vision, her hearing was mostly gone and her legs were stiff with arthritis. When we took her in, my husband asked if we were doing the right thing and my vet heartily endorsed our decision. Although an animal might still technically function on some level, once it loses quality of life it’s time to do the right thing and end the suffering.
People keep pets alive for selfish reasons. I am a true lover of all animals (except opposums) but one thing I have learned is when extraordinary measures are needed to keep a pet alive, it’s time to let go. It isn’t fair to the animal and completely selfish on the part of the owner.
I held both my dogs in my arms when the shots were given. Yes, it was painful and it broke my heart but it was my responsibility. Pets trust us to take care of them and do the right thing.
I now have a six month old some kinda terrier mix puppy. We adore her and the new life she brought in our home. The day we brought her home my husband and I looked at each other and vowed when Sachi loses quality of life, we will again do the right thing and not let her suffer.
That is what it means to love a pet.
December 28th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
Laurie, I could *kiss* you! Beautifully written. (I’m totally gonna forward this on to my friend Mags.) Now, if anyone out there wants to see a pet owner’s touching and sad but *BEAUTIFUL* tribute to her pet (God rest its soul), check out the video blog post (vlog post) made by the fabulous Miss B Havens.
December 29th, 2006 at 8:48 am
UPDATE … Recent conversation with my friend Mags …
Me: Did you read my blog today.
Mags: Yes.
Me: Are you going to call your parents and tell them to put Mikey to sleep?
Mags: No.
Dammit!!!! :-)
December 29th, 2006 at 9:54 am
Thank you. and I love kisses!
Miss B’s video, omigod! It is beautiful and I cried through the whole thing. What a lovely tribute.
Hugs to Mags, it’s never easy.
January 1st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
You seem rather jealous of the attention four-legged pussy is getting… I wonder what Freud would say about that… ‘petting envy’, ‘feline fixation’ or ‘canine collusion’…?
January 1st, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Laurie: :-)
Error Boy: Um, nope.