The Straits Times
ST Forum
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Nov 24, 2009
Dog's final moments should be with owner, not an organisation - no matter how humane
I REFER to Sunday's letter by Ms Angelina Chng, 'Why buy when you can adopt a pet?'.
When a beloved pet dog has reached the end of its life and is sick and suffering, the responsibility of euthanasing it should not be passed on to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
While SPCA will accept a dog that is taken to its shelter and surrendered, it should not be the place where an old and faithful pet is sent to die, alone and away from the home and family it has known. The owner who has decided to have her pet humanely put down can take it to a vet or arrange for the vet to carry out the euthanasia at home in a familiar environment.
The owner has a choice to be with her dog when it is gently put to sleep or abandon it to strangers in a humane animal organisation that has no choice but to put the dog down.
Irene Low (Ms)
