When a Virginia woman passed away, she left something special in her will for her beloved shih tzu mix Emma. No, she didn't follow in the footsteps of Leona Helmsley and leave her dog millions. Nor did she thoughtfully, put her affairs in order and arrange for a new home for her now ownerless dog.
Instead, the woman willed that Emma be euthanized so that she could be buried along with her.
The shocking part is that a vet actually did it, and it's perfectly legal. Sign to make sure this never happens again!
Let's put aside the misplaced motives of the deceased and focus on the fact that a veterinary professional, knowing full well that Emma was a healthy dog, agreed to end her life. Like doctors, vets are charged with saving and healing our animal friends, not purposefully robbing them of their right to live. Unfortunately, in states like Virginia, this type of practice isn't illegal. In fact, because animals are considered property, pet owners have the "right" to put them down humanely if they choose.
What's worse, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), vets are not required to deny such requests and thus can perform unmerciful euthanasia without fear of punishment from the national body.
While the vet who conducted the euthanasia and the AVMA are happy to be complicit in the murdering of perfectly healthy pets. Other vets were not. News of Emma's killing brought a firestorm of condemnation from other veterinary practitioners, many saying that it was immoral and abhorrent.
Yet, unless these killings are condemned from the top, vets and owners will still be allowed to continue to put down animals on a misguided whim.
Please join Care2 in telling the AVMA that this is NOT ok. Sign the petition and demand AVMA to denounce the practice of vets performing unmerciful euthanasias.
