why is it illegal to put your own pet down?

[OutHouse]

There is a interesting case going on right now about a High School teacher and her boyfriend who put their own 12 year old cat down by drowning it in a bucket. The reason they say they did it was because it was a sunday morning, the cat was in bad pain from cancer and the animal hospitals they called wanted more money to put the cat down than they could afford.

so they got home depot bucket filled it with water and drowned the cat. well the teachers 15 year old boy told a friend, who told a friend and somebody at the humane society heard the story and reported it to the police. the couple was arrested for animal cruelty.

my question is, when did it become against the law to put down your own animal when its needed and why is it illegal? or is it illegal at all? there is a lot of gray area on this, i mean is there a law that says "all animals must be put down by a vet"?

 

[michaelsslave]

maybe because drowning is such a horrible way to go. at least shoot it so it doesnt suffer long

 

[Engraver]

Probably had something to do with them drowning it. Drowning doesn't count as a mercy kill.

 

[Steve]

Their method was cruel and inhumane.

 

[40Hands]

Drowning the poor thing? :|

 

[waggy]

yeah its not that they did it. its how they did it.

 

[Capt Caveman]

A Vet would humanely put it to sleep after agreeing with the owner that it was the best thing to do. This guy drowned his cat which must have been a terribly traumatic way to go.

 

[Tiamat]

they probably dont own a gun, what would be considered a mercy kill if you don't have any weapons?

 

[Engraver]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
they probably dont own a gun, what would be considered a mercy kill if you don't have any weapons?

Grind up some sleeping pills and feed them to it.

 

[KK]

what a bunch of pussy's we've become.

 

[yllus]

Don't you drown kittens to kill them? I guess maybe that was never considered humane?

Man, I'm pretty unemotional about things that simply need to be done, but I don't think I could drown a cat.

 

[PottedMeat]

Originally posted by: Engraver

Originally posted by: Tiamat
they probably dont own a gun, what would be considered a mercy kill if you don't have any weapons?

Grind up some sleeping pills and feed them to it.

Yeah, or stick it in a box and pipe some car exhaust into it. Drowning is a really crappy way to go.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: waggy
yeah its not that they did it. its how they did it.

yup

 

[paulxcook]

Why would they drown it? There are plenty of humane ways to kill something without spending money.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: yllus
Don't you drown kittens to kill them?

i thought it was by masturbation?

on a serious note, why the hell would you want to kill kittens?

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: yllus
Don't you drown kittens to kill them?

i thought it was by masturbation?

on a serious note, why the hell would you want to kill kittens?

For egregious, excessive cuteness.

 

[moshquerade]

how about putting it in the freezer? it worked for Sprinkles.

 

[teclis1023]

If you're too poor to take care of an animal, then you're too poor to own an animal.

Is this a real frikkin question? "Why is it illegal to drown a cat?"

Seriously?

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: teclis1023
If you're too poor to take care of an animal, then you're too poor to own an animal.

Is this a real frikkin question? "Why is it illegal to drown a cat?"

Seriously?

It's already been said. Because drowning is cruel. You can say that to just about anything that isn't near "instant kill" where the animal's last breaths are it struggling to live. They could have easily asked the animal hospital what they can do to ease the pain until they can take it to the vet the next day and ANY animal hospital would have told them right over the phone.

 

[Chryso]

Why is it cruel? How many of us have drowned and can say straight up how bad it was?
I have heard that after the initial struggle drowning really isn't that bad.
Of course, I don't actually KNOW.

As for freezing, well, you don't want all your french fry bags all torn up.

 

[Wapp]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
how about putting it in the freezer? it worked for Sprinkles.

Damn you!

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: paulxcook
Why would they drown it? There are plenty of humane ways to kill something without spending money.

Such as??

Grind up sleeping pills? You know how difficult it is to give a pill to a cat? Even ground up ones?
Shoot it? Not all people own guns. (they should but thats another thread)
Suffocate it in a plastic bag? I'm pretty sure that would count as cruelty too.
Freezer? Seems like a good way to me but again you'd probably still face charges.

I hate how society is saying you have to spend money for EVERYTHING or else.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Chryso
Why is it cruel? How many of us have drowned and can say straight up how bad it was?
I have heard that after the initial struggle drowning really isn't that bad.
Of course, I don't actually KNOW.

As for freezing, well, you don't want all your french fry bags all torn up.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: paulxcook
Why would they drown it? There are plenty of humane ways to kill something without spending money.

Such as??

Grind up sleeping pills? You know how difficult it is to give a pill to a cat? Even ground up ones?
Shoot it? Not all people own guns. (they should but thats another thread)
Suffocate it in a plastic bag? I'm pretty sure that would count as cruelty too.


I hate how society is saying you have to spend money for EVERYTHING or else.

hit it in the head with a shovel

 

[Saulbadguy]

It costs less than $50 to do it at a vet.