This is bothering me...

[JenBKR]

I just found this out and it has really been bothering me...

A few years ago my husband's brother and his wife had a cat (Domino) that got out of the house and was attacked by another cat. Domino ended up with rabies and had to be put down. I had assumed for all this time that they took the cat to the vet to be put to sleep. I just found out that my brother-in-law actually took the cat out to the woods and shot him with a shotgun because they didn't have the money to have him put down. I can't get that image out of my head. I'm afraid I might look at my in-laws differently now.

[kittycats_delight]

I can see why you would be worried about looking at them differently. IMO that is cruel. How can you just shoot something you love? I'm sorry Jen. I know that here if an animals NEEDS to be PTS money or no money they will do it. There are humane services for that and they will PTS an animal they MUST be PTS without being paid. I don't know if it works that way where you guys are or not. I think I would be a more angry than you I know I wouldn't be able to not say anything about it. That just turns my stomach. My father did that once with a dog we had. I am talking years and years ago. I was only 5 or 6 so 25 years ago. And to this day I remember it and I have never forgiven him. I just can't. It breaks my heart to know a companion animal was destoyed so inhumanely. There had to have been someone that could have put that cat to rest more humanely than that. I am really sorry.

(((HUGS)))
Michelle

[Jessika]

Well at least he did it with the best interests of the animal in mind? I mean its not like he shot it for the hell of it, you know? And it was probably hard for him to do it. I can understand not having money, but kittycats_delight is correct -- SOME places will do it for free, but not all. I know some in my area are too money hungry and probably wouldn't have... in which case, if I were in that situation I would probably bring my pet to the shelter and tell them I found a stray, OR I would just call the ASPCA to pick it up and say it was a stray... then again, this is all only if I didn't have money to do it and the shelter wouldn't do it for free. Even if it WAS the best thing to do, I couldn't bring myself to take a gun to any of my pets, whether they were suffering or not. It must have been very hard for him.

[Lobodeb]

I always have to remind myself that not everyone loves and appreciates animals as much as we (PT) do. My dad used to tell me so many stories of him doing things like that. He knew how I felt about animals, but back then, I too was only 5 or 6, things were different. There wasn't the same awareness as there is now. I never forgave my dad for what he did either, but they knew no other way.

I remember I had a herniated disk in my back for 3 months before they let me go to a doctor. And that was ME! Not an animal. I'm lucky they didn't take me out back to shoot me.

[lvpets2002]

OMG how horrible.. I am sure your brother-n-law thought he was doing the best he could && but still how could you do it to your loving baby.. Dont let the man near my babies.. Yes that would haunt me too & I am afraid I would have to say something to him..

[CathyBogart]

There is no excuse for that...there are a lot of options for free euthanasia.

[Cataholic]

I must agree with Cathy. There isn't any excuse for that.

[JenBKR]

I am glad that I am not the only one who feels strongly about this. I hope their two kids never find out - it was actually my niece's cat, so she might feel bad about it. Lobodeb you are so right, not everyone thinks of their pets the way we do, so I should really keep that in mind. I don't think my BIL likes cats very much anyway, he thinks it's funny to blow in my Belle's face until she hisses (I was NOT at home when he did that, my hubby told me about it )

[JenBKR]

I would have LENT him the money - I would of come up with it somehow!!

[Lobodeb]

Originally posted by CathyBogart
There is no excuse for that...there are a lot of options for free euthanasia.

I totally agree with you. You and I and everyone here knows there are options, because we're willing to research them. People with a gun and bullet only see a quick and easy way out.

It's laziness and selfishness mixed with a lot of ignorance.

I didn't mean to sound as if this was ok, because it isn't. Sorry if I offended anyone.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Originally posted by CathyBogart
There is no excuse for that...there are a lot of options for free euthanasia.

Especially if the animal has something dangerous like rabies. I know here, if an animal is found to be rabid, animal control will not charge to have them put down.

And how did the poor kitty get rabies anyway? Wasn't he vaccinated? . RIP Poor little kitty

[JenBKR]

Originally posted by DJFyrewolf36
And how did the poor kitty get rabies anyway? Wasn't he vaccinated? . RIP Poor little kitty

I honestly don't know that. He was such a sweet kitty too

[Denyce]

That part of this story bothers me. If the cat was actually diagonosed with rabies the owners would NOT have been allowed to take the cat home. There are only two ways of diagnosing rabies. One is to remove the head and send it to a lab and the other is to quarentine at an approved kennel or vet for a period of 10 days I think. If the animal is then showing signs of rabies by law the vet would have to euthanize the animal. It would never be given back to the owners.

[Jessika]

Originally posted by Denyce
That part of this story bothers me. If the cat was actually diagonosed with rabies the owners would NOT have been allowed to take the cat home. There are only two ways of diagnosing rabies. One is to remove the head and send it to a lab and the other is to quarentine at an approved kennel or vet for a period of 10 days I think. If the animal is then showing signs of rabies by law the vet would have to euthanize the animal. It would never be given back to the owners.

I was thinking the same thing. Unless he was a doctor, they can't self-diagnose what they THINK could be rabies. Foaming at the mouth? He could have eaten something bad. Regardless they obviously did not bring the cat to the shelter to get a proper diagnosis, heck the kitty may not even have been sick at all!

[luvofallhorses]

That is so sad. I mean, the poor thing died unloved, unless he shot the kitty out of love, which I don't know, so I won't say anything. They should have taken it to the vets to see if the kitty really had it. Again, I am so sorry. (((JEN)))