Why would veterinarians be allowed to put perfectly healthy animals to sleep for an owner?

I hear your distress, but you have to put yourself in her shoes...she is dying and her mind isn't entirely clear. She has a lot of worries on her mind. She wasn't thinking straight, but in her mind, it was a proper solution. I am sorry that the vet was convinced to kill perfectly healthy cats but perhaps he was only thinking about HER stress level and how to make HER life easier. We weren't there when the discussion took place. I can picture her crying and totally stressed out as she frets about what will happen to her fur-babies if they end up in the wrong home. My sister went through this with a dog once, so I sort of understand her thought process. However it is NOT what I would do.

There are circumstances where it would be appropriate, though most do resist doing that to a healthy animal.

The request can be made if the animal is a known biter and can't be rehomed and the owner is going into a nursing home or such. It can be done if the animal has a brain tumor (the body would be healthy but the actions of the cat become more severe). Or if the cat is suffering seizures for which there is no treatment. Or if the cat is one who stresses so much around other people that it can not be rehomed.

You, with your issue, can adopt from your friend. Step up and help the two you know about.

It is heartbreaking when healthy animals are euthanized, and it isn't easy for veterinarians, either. However, the job of the veterinarian is to end suffering. If an owner wants an animal euthanized and refuses to adopt out, euthanasia is a humane option. If the vet refuses (and some will), the owner will find another vet who will euthanize, will abandon the animal, or may take their animal's life themselves (not good). Either way, life is not going to turn out well for this animal.

Some veterinarians will tell the owner that they are going to euthanize the animal and when the owner leaves, they secretly adopt out the pet. While this makes for a heartwarming story, in my opinion it is still wrong. Breaking the trust in a vet/client relationship is a major issue and is no different from any other lie, despite the good outcome for the pet. Yes vets do what is good for animals but lying to the owner is the fastest way to degrade one's character. It's a hard decision for sure, but given the wants of the owner, euthanasia is sometimes the only option.

As for your friend, I am sorry for what she is going through. It is common for people to want their pets euthanized immediately upon their death or impending death. This is the wish of many people, and I believe these wishes should be upheld and respected, as this is what your friend wanted. This is something that not everyone agrees with or understands, but some people, out of love for their pets, feel that their pets should not go through fear, pain, or uncertainty that may come with being placed in a new home. You may disagree with that, but this is what brings peace to your friend. This is done as an act of love. I am sure she loves her cats very much and she feels that this is the best decision for her situation.

That is the job of the vet. They are hired to do what the owner wants and the owner pays them. It is not their job to argue with a paying customer.

You will find a fair number of vets who don't want to do that and I have known some who get the owner to sign the animal over to the vet and the vet finds them a new home. I've even known some vets to say they will put the animal down then don't and find a home for it. I'm not sure if they take the money for doing the euthanasia which I think they should not or perhaps they feel the money paid will go toward any medical issues the animal may have that the vet fixes and for the upkeep of the animal until it finds a home.

It's sad and in essence I agree that people shouldn't kill their animals unless they try to find a home for them and cannot. Maybe her cats had issues that she didn't mind but she knew other people wouldn't want to deal with.

The short answer to your question is that legally animals are property. It is the pet owner's decision to have them euthanized if they want to.

That being said, most private practice veterinarians won't euthanize a perfectly adoptable pet just for the pet owner's convenience. In these situations, usually there is something that makes the pet unadoptable such as advanced age, a behavior problem or a pre-existing medical condition - sometimes a combination of all three.

You have the right to be upset, but keep in mind that you don't have all the information and this is really none of your business anyways.

Just curious, did you offer to adopt her cats? I didn't think so... You see how easy it is to judge?

If nobody can care for the creatures, then a peaceful death is better than a life in a kennel or on the streets.

If seriously nobody can care for your pets, they're doomed to a life in a metal stall, then maybe death is better. Would you want to live your life in a cell, not receiving any attention or love? I know I wouldn't. I'd rather die.

Vets are supposed to keep the best interest of the pet and the owner in mind. There's no pet insurance, either. So if an owner can't afford care, then euthanasia may be the only option. Don't be so childish about this. Death is a part of life.

Unfortunately animals are considered property under the eyes of the law. If an owner wants their animal humanely euthanized, for any reason, the veterinarian is obligated to perform the procedure. I used to work for a vet, and he did not like to euthanize animals that he saw no reason to euthanize. He would usually offer to take ownership of the animals and rehome them himself. Some owners would refuse that offer. I caught him crying in his office after a particularly difficult euthansia on more than one occasion. Refusing such services would only send clients elsewhere, or force them to go to other, less-human means, to dispose of their animals. Many vets do not offer to rehome animals for clients because veterinary clinics are not animal shelters, and if they receive too many of these requests, they can't help everyone. Sometimes performing euthanasia is the only option for the vet. Don't blame the vet.

This is a Rant not a question.

Pets are considered property and sadly if an owner wishes it to be put asleep it will be put to sleep.

If the animal is healthy, though, many vets will ask the owner to sign the animal over to them and then they will bring it to a shelter near them.

If I died today, my papillon would have to be put down. He's 18 and he howls when I leave the property in a car not my own. When I'm not in the house, he won't eat. He pines something awful and won't let anyone pick him up. The rest of my dogs would be fine but Linkie would curl up and die slowly.

There's nothing illegal about it. A vet has a legal obligation to put down an anaiml if the owner wants them to. They can't hide the anaiml and claim they put it down since they will be sued. The owner paid for it be put down so they have to put it down.

There's nothing wrong with someone who has a illness to have their pets put down. You need to think about it from thier perspective. What if the pet is agressive and will attack someone? What if its not social and can't be adopted out? Is it fair to be bounced around from home to home and be put down? Is it fair to be crammed in a cage for days to week and then be put down? What if the aniaml is disabled or has every expensive needs? Its not fair to burden someone else with those issues.

How is it selfish to put a pet down when you know no one else can take care of it? Its better to be put down then to be bounced around or crammed in a cage or be in the hands of strangers who may or may not take care of it.

". She didn't tell anyone about it beforehand. "

Why should she have to tell any one before hand? They were her cats. Not yours.

"I would have definitely taken them if I could have. She didn't want anyone else to have them"

Stop being rude and mean. They were never yours and you have no say over what she does with them. Looking at your questions you have pets you barely take care of and you wanted to lie and make your dog into a fake service dog, its no wonder why she didn't tell you.