A friend gave me an article written by the Ethicist of the New York Times magazine.
On the day I read it, I found the topic sufficiently depressing that my first reaction was “no way am I putting that on the CGC blog.” But the more I thought about it, a good part of the Canine Good Citizen program is responsible dog ownership and this question relates to that topic.
In this particular ethics column a veterinarian wrote in to say that one of his/her clients is an elderly woman with an 8-year-old Pomeranian. Should something happen to the dog owner, she has no friends or family to take the dog. The owner wanted the vet to sign a form agreeing to euthanize the dog should the owner die before the dog does. The vet asked, “What should I do?”
The answer was long, but the gist of it was if the dog could go on to live a happy life, it should be allowed to do so. Since the woman was not dying, it was suggested that she get her affairs in order including finding a loving adoption for her dog in the event of an emergency.
Do you agree with the Ethicists conclusion? Do you have a plan for your dog(s) if something happens to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
In my family if something were to happen my mom or my sister would take my dog and I would do the same for them. In fact my mom has an elderly dog now and when something happens to him she plans to get a puppy but she is only doing so knowing that if she cannot take care of the dog as she gets older or if she were to get sick that either my sister or I would take the dog. No dog in my family will go to the pound, instead the animal will live on with another family member.
I do agree with this vet, but also owner should set-up a $ Trust to allow for future medical and any other expenses incurred..
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Well, I’m 70. and have 4 dogs, the eldest is 17, the youngest is 5… so do the math…
I have made arrangements with a breed specific rescue, with appropriate donation, to take them.
If the dogs were mixes, I’m quite frankly not sure what I would do – and if they were large, difficult to place dogs, I know ‘rescues’ are hard pressed to find homes. Being kept in a kennel for months/years on end is not appropriate. Euthanasia is not inhumane, the alternative may well be.
But I digress – I think it depends on the dog as much as it does the new owner. I’ve seen too many familiy members that start out taking dogs out of ‘guilt’, only to regret that decision and the dog(s) do end up in a Shelter. I don’t want to worry about my dogs — or anyone who might end up with them.
My dogs are not ‘named’ in my will, just the wording “any dogs owned by me at the time of my death are to be ….” that way I don’t have to ‘update’ my will when I loose a dog, or add one.
This is not something any one ever wants to bring up with family members – but you owe it to your parents to ASK what they want, what they have planned, (or not); You owe it to your children and to your pets to take care of as much as you can, while you can.