Euthanasia

I recently came across an advertisement from a non-profit that was asking for donations. The donation was so that they could shelter and feed more stray dogs & cats for longer time and prevent these animals from being euthanized.

And it got me thinking – how euthanizing of animals (stray, old or badly injured) is a common practice across the world.  While I couldn’t fine the numbers globally, I got the number that approximately 1.5 million dogs & cats are euthanized each year in the USA. Though this number has apparently come down from 2.6 million in 2011. Imagine that for a minute, that numbers equal to the number of people in a city like Madurai, India.

Yes, euthanizing animals is legal and people don’t want to see their pets suffer in pain. Which is all fine and agreeable. However, if you look at the legality of human euthanasia, in only 5 countries is it legal – with very specific language on when it can be legal. Assisted suicide is legal in 4 countries, some US states and 1 state in Australia – again with very specific language.

How is it that humans think that it is ok/acceptable to euthanize animals but when it comes to humans, there is dithering and specific rules and legalities laid out.

Most of you would argue that the rules and legalities are required to prevent people from being killed for other purposes and these murders covered up as euthanasia; that the euthanasia loophole could be used by serial killers.

But here is the thing, how do you know that there is no animal serial killer out there. A person who has trained to control their urges and get-by by killing only animals. Especially in India with such a large stray dog & cat population, it would be easy to pull it off. In fact, anywhere in the world it would be possible – because nobody keeps a track of the animal deaths. Btw, most serial killers start with animal cruelty in their childhood.

I believe the reason why humans consider it ok for animal euthanasia and not so much for human euthanasia is about mental conditioning. Mental conditioning of the supremacy of humans over other life forms.

We are told and the idea is reinforced from a young age that somehow humans are better and more valuable than other life forms. It’s the same idea that I was trying to make about in my previous post.

If you ask any human – why & how humans are better than other life forms, the answers would range from – look what humans have achieved, humans are the most intelligent, human are the top of the food chain.

Humans are not the top of the food chain, humans have been hunted by other animals for so many ages. Why did you think humans have a ingrained fear of the dark? As for the most intelligent – really and look at what humans have done – the invention of so many tools to kill more efficiently and more quickly; human greed, the extinction of so many animals. And the question of look what humans have achieved – again you are looking from a human perspective. Is what humans have done considered achievement? Have you seen animals in their natural state – being depressed and killing for the pleasure of killing.

If one removes the human perspective and see objectively – there is no reason why humans are better, more valuable than other life forms. All lifeforms have a more or less equal purpose in the food chain. And I would argue that humans have done more harm to everything than good.

So, what am trying to convey here? That animals should not be euthanized so easily? That a larger debate on animal euthanasia has to happen? That human euthanasia has to be made more available? Or that humans are not worthy.

Now, I definitely am saying that humans are not worthy. Which I have been making for many many years.

As for the others I am saying that humans needs to start thinking about every aspect that we have taken for granted.

Does it mean that I am going to stop eating chickens or using bug spray, Hello no that’s my prerogative.