Help Reform Pet Euthanasia

“Action is the antidote to despair.” ―Joan Baez

“You can't unwrite the tragedies life engraves into your bones; you can just give them a voice.” ― Nitya Prakash

 (Photo courtesy of cityslide.com, licensed from Ron Chapple Photography.)

Low Stress Handling methods.

Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy methods. (CAETA International). 

If this is done, it will drastically lower the number of failed pet euthanasia that occurs. (Failed euthanasia are those that result in additional pain, anxiety, fear, stress, trauma, etc.)

TAKE OUR SURVEY.

Help us learn the causes and effects of pet euthanasia gone wrong to help our beloved pets have a truly compassionate and completely pain-free and peaceful goodbye.

Your participation is extremely important because data regarding the critical life endings represented by animal or pet euthanasia is absent or extremely rare, making improvement difficult or impossible.

Please take the survey by clicking here: Pet Euthanasia Survey

REQUEST A EUTHANASIA CASE REVIEW.

“The Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) Euthanasia Review Department specializes in case exploration to help pet owners and veterinary services understand patient response to the procedure.  Talking through successes and challenges may help observers with the complexities of euthanasia, and assist those who may be struggling emotionally with what occurred.  CAETA's objective is to provide neutral expert assessment of companion animal euthanasia performed or authorized by veterinarians, for pet owners and veterinary professionals seeking to understand the manner of a pet’s death.” (From the CAETA Case Review Department)

LETTERS TO DEANS OF VET COLLEGES:

One good way to help this happen is to notify the Deans of your state, U.S. possession,provincial or national vet colleges or schools (and others as well) about the great significance of the euthanasia event to pet owners, and its major effects on all involved, including the reputation of the veterinary profession, and encourage them to train new vets in Low Stress Handling and CAETA methods. If you think viewing a sample letter to deans of colleges or schools of vet medicine may be helpful to you, click here.

For a list of members of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, click here. The name of the Dean is usually obvious on the home page of any chosen site. If not, try typing "Dean" into the site search field. 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Another good way of reducing the incidents of traumatic pet euthanasia is writing letters to editors of newspapers or other periodicals. They can serve as warnings to others who may have to schedule such a procedure as well as informing them of how to avoid what you and your animal companion experienced. If you'd like to view a sample letter to an editor, click here. Clicking on the links below will provide some resources to help you do this successfully, should you need them.

Community Tool Box Section 2. Writing Letters to the Editor - a very complete, comprehensive "what, why, when and how" with links to more.

Zero to Three How to Write a Letter to Editor and an Opinion Editorial - with strategies for and samples of both.

National Council of Teachers of English Write an Opinion Piece or Letter to the Editor for Your Local Newspaper - a very clear, concise, trim resource.

Doc Templates Letter to Editor Templates - four sample letters with PDF downloads and a review of the basics.

POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF TAKING THE ABOVE ACTIONS:

Taking the above actions may reduce the occurrence of traumatic pet euthanasia.

Taking the above actions may be very therapeutic in that it may help you endure and/or recover from any trauma you may have experienced due to a bad pet euthanasia. 

Refuge in Grief explains that taking action can serve as temporary respite for those who don't think perpetual or prolonged grief is a disorder or failure to be treated therapeutically; respite while fashioning a new self to carry this permanent loss into a new life. 

Learn more about Low Stress Handling by watching the below video.

Please feel free to share your questions, comments or feedback on this topic on our Message Board or below. Thanks!