Please Help Me Help My Friend. Options

[Susan-Molly'...]

My friend recently put her dog to sleep and is feeling terrible guilt. Her little boy was a rescue with a history of abuse. He was never the friendliest of dogs to strangers, but in the last few years he had started losing his sight and had become much worse, biting anyone who came near. My friend is a widow and her little dog wouldn't allow any visitors in her house. He had even started to nip at her.

Two weeks ago some old friends were coming for a visit and she took her boy to the vet to make sure it would be okay to board him while they were there. The vet told her things were only going to get worse and he recommended she have her doggy put to sleep. She went along with his advice and now is consumed with guilt. She says he wasn't really sick, just old and grouchy.

How do I help her? He was isolating her from her friends and I don't feel he was having a quality life anymore. Can anyone tell me how to comfort her?

[Daisy's Mommy]

To Kim,

Your personal attack on me was quite surprising. I must say that you are so filled with venom, that I feel sorry for you. Susan's response to my opinion was polite, thoughtful questions. What could be done? Were there alternatives? Your response was an ugly attack on me. I will respond to some of your points.

1) You have no idea what I have done in the past or do now to help in local animal affairs, both at local shelters and for abused farm animals. Your statement that I do nothing is not only presumptuous, it is wrong.

2) If you read my postings, you would see I am supportive of those who have lost a dear friend, even when it is through their own carelessness. I have received many thanks for my support. I, however, feel strongly that only terminally ill pets who are in pain should be euthanized. Pets should not be killed because they are difficult or inconvenient. That is my opinion, and I like to express it in the hopes that it may help some people decide to try alternatives other than killing a living being. If even one person seeks training instead of death then I feel that expressing my opinion was well worth it.

3) In fact in this posting, I made a point to tell Susan not to express my opinion to her friend because the deed was already done and I saw no reason to make her feel worse.. "Don't quote me to your friend because it will make her feel worse, but I would like to express my opinion on this topic that comes up from time to time."

4) You should think about whether it is really you who "seems to find some kind of pleasure" in hurting others. Your statement that I "do not even have a pet" at this time, is cruel and insensitive. If you have read my postings, you would know that I do not have one because my beloved Yorkie passed away on April 1. So. to taunt me for not having a pet, when I lost my dear friend and baby of 12 years is not a very kind thing to do. Many people do not get new dogs right away for lots of reasons. I have decided, responsibly I believe, to not get a new dog until my son is no longer a toddler.


Again, I am sorry for you. You must be a very unhappy person to write as you did.

Daisy's Mommy