Of karma, palliative care and euthanasia

First of all, I would like to thank the friends who have been very supportive and who have stood by us throughout this difficult period of having to deal with Wendy’s case where very challenging and painful decisions had to be made. 

One of our friends felt that I should explain here, why we opted for palliative care instead of euthanasia for Wendy.  He said perhaps we could make a change to the conventional perspective of the available options for animals when we are faced with a dying animal and have exhausted all avenues of treatment. 

Is euthanasia the most “compassionate” option in such cases? 

I don’t know. 

As I’ve always said, there is no right or wrong in this.  There is only the “best possible option”.  

Let me share here, why, after much deliberation and consideration, we opted for palliative care for Wendy.

Euthanasia will put a quick end to Wendy’s suffering right now.  However, we believe there will be a next life for Wendy.  The fact that she is suffering now means she is undergoing a karmic payback for some reason.  We can end her suffering now (because we do not want to see her suffering and it pains us tremendously), but she would still have to undergo a similar suffering in her next life.  Hence, euthanasia does not actually “end her suffering”.  It merely postpones it to the next life.  She would have to endure the suffering again, in a similar degree, in her next life.    

When we see people suffering (people here includes animals, of course), as a fellow living being on earth, it is our duty to help alleviate that suffering.  That is why we do what we do: we sponsor the medical treatment of sick animals and we do our best to find them homes, etc.  In doing so, we provide some relief to that suffering.  We give them a helping hand. 

For Wendy’s case, it is no different.  We gave her every available treatment and have now exhausted all avenues.  What else can we now do for Wendy except to make her as comfortable as possible and to help her through her final days in this life.  That is why we opted for palliative care for Wendy.  We do not know if euthanasia would really be “helping” Wendy because we are merely postponing the suffering to her next life.  Since we are already brought together now, in this life, perhaps we can do more good for her by helping her through and letting nature take its course. 

The universe knows more than we would ever know.  It is sometimes so very difficult to accept pain and suffering, and we wish we could snuff it out instantly and suffer no more, yet suffering is inevitable.  That is a fact of life.  Acceptance of that, and doing our best to help may, to some degree, help lessen that pain, for us, and for the ones we are helping.      

Consider this:

1.  Why is euthanasia for humans banned in many countries?  And even in countries that allow it, the human has to give consent before it is carried out.  It is done willfully and willingly. 

2.  In Thailand and Bali, as far as I’ve been told, there is also no euthanasia for animals.  No matter how sick the animal is, the vets teach the caregiver to provide comfort and nursing for the animal and see the animal till the end.     

3.  In most countries, why is euthanasia illegal for humans but legal for animals? 

Believe me, it pains us tremendously to see Wendy in this state.  We are her primary caregivers and we really want the very best for her.  If we do not care for her, we would never have gone this far, trying every available treatment for her, to make her as comfortable as possible. 

Animals have an innate ability to decide when they want to go.  There must be a reason why Wendy is still hanging on.  We do not know this reason.  Yet, we have to respect it.  In doing so, we suffer tremendous pain too, and acceptance is the only to help us, and to help her. 

All said, we want to thank everyone who has stood by us throughout this extremely difficult period.  Thank you for your support and for lending us your shoulders.  A special thank you goes to Trevor, for lending us his knowledge on spirituality and his understanding about life, and to Wani, for lending us her very strong shoulders and sharing with us her vast experience in caring for dogs with terminal illnesses.  Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the adopter who has now taken Wendy under his wing, and is giving her palliative care.