Euthanasia.

According to Jezebel, yesterday was the first time in years that New York City did not euthanize any dogs. In 2010, Karen Pepp founded the Facebook group Urgent Part 2. Every night, she posted the "at risk" list of pets from New York's Animal Care & Control. These were the pets scheduled to be euthanized. When Animal Care & Control lost power last week, they were unable to send out the euthanasia list due to the shelter's lack of power. Followers of the group feared that this meant animals were being put down at "an alarming rate." Volunteers reassured Urgent Part 2's fans with the following message: "Yesterday, no animals were euthanized at the Manhattan ACC. As far as I know, that's ...

Sometimes the best way to sort out overwhelming emotions is to write them down. This is the simple therapy that an 8-year-old Utah boy chose after tragically losing his cat. According to Gawker, an animal shelter accidentally euthanized Rayden Sazam's cat, Toothless, because an employee forgot to leave a note on the cat's cage. However, there is much more to this upsetting series of events. Rayden's note to the The Herald Journal recounting the loss of his beloved pet starts with the boy describing their relationship: "My kitty's name is ...

I have a terrible job - at least that's what many of my clients say after I've arrived at their doors. When I'm not writing about all things veterinary, I make house calls as an in-home euthanasia and hospice care provider. I wouldn't call the job "terrible." Emotional and at times draining, sure, but it has its own rewards. I feel honored to be helping people and animals when they are going through an exceptionally difficult time. I've been called the grim-reaper and Dr. Death. More pleasantly, I've also been referred to as an Angel of Mercy and a midwife, helping spirits transition from one stage to another (I really liked that one). My job is not especially demanding from a technical ...

A stray dog lost her chance at finding a home due to a mix-up at a Florida animal shelter. According to WTSP, Hernando County Animal services accidentally put down a stray dog available for adoption instead of a similar-looking dog that was surrendered by her owner. This is the second time this year that the same tragic mistake has occurred at the shelter. In this instance, the shelter was caring for two red-brown, female Lab/Shepherd mixes. One was a stray taken for adoption in September, the other was a pet surrendered for euthanasia in August. Due to a switch in kennels and a disregard for standard procedure, the stray was put down. "There appears to be no uniform procedure or ...