Author Archives: Shani Mueller

The Death of a Dog

Old black lab whose fur is beginning to grey

“Wise old man” by Shaun Hopkinson is licensed under CC by 2.0

In our society, it is common practice to euthanize dogs in old age either with or without chronic medical conditions. However, physician assisted suicide for human beings is controversial and only legal in some parts of the United States. Now, I understand that the comparison between the death of a dog and the death of a human may appear insensitive or tactless, but I think it is one that deserves attention. I frequently hear dog owners, myself included, say that they love their dog as if they were their own child. If this love is so intense and comparable to the love we give other humans, why do we, as a society, condone and even promote the euthanasia of dogs while we shudder at the idea of euthanizing humans?

Pet owners often decide to put a dog down because they are in apparent pain, or the family believes that they should not suffer any longer. The family makes this decision based on the observed quality of life, but they have no idea of the dog’s wishes. Dogs cannot speak for themselves or express their will, but humans make the decision to end their life for them. It is never an easy decision, but it is one that our society supports.

The euthanasia of humans is a much more divisive topic in our society. In recent years, physician assisted suicide has become legal in some states. The idea is that those with chronic conditions may choose to die with dignity. Yet, many regulations are in place, for example, the patient must request to die at least three times, twice verbally and once written, and the person requesting to die must be able to administer the drugs themselves.

These requirements are not necessary for euthanizing dogs. The consent of the dog is not obligatory, and the fatal concoction is administered by a veterinarian, not the dog. While it may seem silly to expect anything of that nature from a dog, I think in some situations it is also ludicrous to expect it from a chronically ill human. Quadriplegics with a poor quality of life and the desire to die are not eligible for physician assisted suicide despite their request because they would not be able to submit a written request nor administer the drugs themselves.

This post is by no means an extensive analysis of euthanasia nor is it an argument in favor of physician assisted suicide or one against the euthanasia of family pets. I simply found it to be an interesting perspective on the matter. An article from the New York Times, titled The Death of the Doctor’s Dog offers a more detailed account of the moral questions that arise when discussing the euthanasia of any living being.

 

References:

https://www.deathwithdignity.org/learn/death-with-dignity-acts/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/well/live/death-dying-doctors-dog-euthanasia.html

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“7 Reasons Not to Be an Organ Donor”

I was scrolling through my News Feed on Facebook, and I came across this post by the Odyssey:

Screenshot of Facebook post

“7 Reasons Not to Be an Organ Donor”

I stopped scrolling. As a student in this class and as an organ donor myself, I was intrigued to discover the reasons for denouncing organ donation. So, I clicked. And this is what I saw:

Screenshot of Odyssey article

“Actually, there aren’t any.”

I chastised myself for succumbing to click bait, but I marveled at the brilliance of the tactic.

This post attracts organ donors like myself because it challenges our beliefs. I wanted to know how someone could possibly come up with seven valid reasons for not becoming an organ donor. Yet, it also appeals to those who are not organ donors by validating their decision.

The article begins with statistics on the disparity between the number of people who support organ donation and the number of people who demonstrate their support by donating their organs. In the United States, the demand for organs is much greater than the supply. People die every day waiting on the organ transplant list.

In an attempt to amend these inequalities, the author dispels seven rumors that might persuade one to not become an organ donor.

Two rumors addressed in the article were previously discussed in class: “If doctors know that I am an organ donor, they won’t try to save my life as hard” and “Doctors might not be 100 percent sure that I am dead.” These rumors are not unfounded. Instances of supposedly brain dead patients that “wake up” during organ harvesting do exist, like this woman from New York. However, laws and practices are now in place to prevent these gross oversights from happening again.

Another common rumor, one that I even believed myself, is that organ donation precludes you from having an open casket funeral. If Americans harbor the misconception that organ donation will interfere with customary funeral practices, I can understand the decision to not become donors. The challenge, nonetheless, will be to educate people on the realities of organ donation.

I think this article is an excellent first step in informing the public about organ donation. In this age of technology, many people formulate their opinions from posts such as this one on Facebook. While the argument becomes too emotional at times, it is backed by evidence. To continue learning about other common rumors about organ donation, read the original article here.

 

 

References:

theodysseyonline.com/reasons-organ-donor

abcnews.go.com/…ctors-remove-organs/story