Stop Heart Stick Euthanasia in Michigan - Sign Petition - Page 1

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-heart-stick-euthanasia-in-st-clair-county-michigan

Last weekend I witnessed one of these horrible killings.  An Animal Control Officer injected the serum into the dogs RIGHT side without anesthesia or sedation on my neighbor's lawn  I'll never forget the scream and I will work towards an end to this cruel and painful method of euthanasia.

Diane Madigan

Take steps to make sure that this isn't the result.  Cameras installed then covered up.  Might end up on YouTube.

http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8869380&nav=menu5_2_2_7

I would also like to add that it took this poor dog 25 minutes to die AFTER the heart stick....after the scream.

Diane Madigan

I wasn't there....So I did not see what was going on.

However, that being said....I have had to a heart stick to euthanize a dog before.

There are several reasons for this:

1)  You are alone, and have no one to hold off and release a vein---that can be tough to do with a tourn. by yourself.

2)  The blood pressure of the animal is sooooo low, that their circulation is down, and you simply cannot get a leg vein period.

All that being said----pre-anesthesia in the field simply isn't always possible.  It takes 20 minutes for a IM shot to take effect....so, sometimes, if there are issues, it is kinder to do a heart euth.

Pre-Anesthesia can also be a factor in hitting a vein later.

And, some dogs just "scream" alot----no matter what you do.  It the dog screamed, then likely he didn't hit the heart first try.  I have never had a dog scream when I did a heart euth.  I have had sedated dogs scream when you did a leg.

So, I guess what I am saying, is I am sorry you had to witness this, however, don't take a vital tool away from others.

20 to 25 minute's?

People think this is humane?    Stab it in the heart?

All the time, every second that tic's by the dog is suffering.   I know how some of you will react but a bullet to the base of the brain is instant and can only hurt those who would watch it.     I would even consider electrocution over this heart stick.

Educated people think this is a good thing?    God I hate people !!

Vital tool?   buy a damned .22 pistol Trainer.    Or else pay for the med's and do it right,  sedate the animal if you don't have the gut's to shoot it.  

This is gonna be a crappy day.

Ok I am going to open my big mouth, heart stick is not humane, I will repeat not humane. If a facility can not use euthanasia solution with a properly inserted cath. then they should not be doing it and build bigger kennels to house all these animals.  Bless it if  the county can pay to keep golf courses open, and the parks open then they have enough money to do the right thing. It is the idea of just doing the right thing.  I am very sorry in advance if I offend anyone with my statements, but the responsiblily is ours to make sure the animal does not feel pain.

malshep,

You said it a bit better than I.

Brent

Agreed.  I can't find the video of the vet having the tech hold the dog up and doing the heartstick in Sumner County.  I'm kind of glad I can't.

I also can't believe Dr. Demento (as I call him) got off so easy.  That ticks me off.

http://blogs.wncn.info/shelterdogsspeak/2008/06/29/euthanasia-technicians-speak-out-graphic/ 

Brent, and All,

Again, when I have done the heart sticks it was in a vet clinic, because nothing else was working.  One was in a Rottie and one was in a lab.

Both dogs were sedated, one had a catheter in.

I have seen it done with cats, alot.  Cats, old ones, are especially hard to find a vein on in the first place, let alone one that in their upper teens, and the owners needed to bring them in weeks prior to when they did. 

I would suggest asking your vet about heart sticks.

Again, I don't know this particualar situation.  I wasn't there.  I have heard dogs scream. 

Beuthanasia is 1 cc per 10lbs.  We intentionally over dose, so that there, most of the time, isn't a problem.  The Rottie that I mentioned?  We started with 10 ccs, she weighed 70lbs.  We ended up having to use another 5CCs.  For her, it was kinder and faster to do the heart stick.

The lab?  I was doing it by myself.  There was no other choice, the dog was suffering severely, the vet could not make it in to the clinic, and I couldn't pick him up to move him---plus a ride at midnight to another clinic, would have hurt worse for him, so, I did him(BTW, We were at the clinic, not at home or somewhere else.)

It is next to impossible to put in an IV catheter alone, let alone do a euthanasia.

So, I'll tell you what, until you have been put into the situation, don't talk.  And don't condemn that which you don't know or don't understand.