James Yeates

Euthanasia

2 Euthanasia

• Very important part of clinical work

• Tough decision to make

• Personal decision that you have to make

3 Lecturing on euthanasia

• Cannot tell you what to do in every

situation

• (just as for any clinical matter)

• Can give generic guidelines and advice

This talk

• 3 Distinctions

• 3 Approaches to

Decision-making

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5 Distinction 1: Euthanasia vs Killing

• To be euthanasia it must be

– Humane

– For the animal’s benefit

6 Distinction 2: Killing Types

Only way to

avoid –ve QOL

for that animal

Ideal

Euthanasia

One way to

avoid –ve QOL

for that animal

Contextually-

justified

Euthanasia

Doesn’t avoid

avoid –ve QOL

for that animal

Not

Euthanasia

Distinction 3: Volition (of the owner)

• Voluntary euthanasia

– Where the owner gives valid informed consent to the killing

– You can refuse

• In-voluntary euthanasia

– Against the owner’s expressed wishes

– May need some defence

• Non-voluntary euthanasia

– When the owner’s wishes cannot be taken into account, since

the owner is unknown or uncontactable

– Should avoid over-defensiveness

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8 The value of life

• 3 Approaches:

1. Life/death absolutely does matter

2. Life/death absolutely does not matter

3. Life/death matter if they matter

• An “Animal Rights” view:

– absolutely wrong to deprive of life

– Anti-experimentation, Anti-hunting, Anti-farming

• Rights often linked to duties

DUTIES RIGHTS

Approach 1. Absolutely Matters

Tom Regan

10 But … Value for the animal…

A) An animal’s right is worth respecting if

and only if good for the animal

B) Life is good for the animal if and only if

it is “a life worth living”

C) Killing is causing death

Therefore, killing is wrong if an only if it

is prevents “life worth living”

11 Approach 2. Absolutely Does Not Matter

• Classic position: death insignificant

Hence Reduction

in the 3Rs

Hence Reduction

in the 3Rs

I just said

that

Death is not a

welfare issue

Welfare state

C Welfare state

B Welfare state

A

Overall welfare Overall welfare

Quality-of-life

Welfare state

Z Welfare state

Y Welfare state

X

But … Animal Welfare and Value of life

Life worth avoiding Life worth living

13 Death deprives of welfare

• Value to animal = what it prevents

• Deprives of positive or negative QOL

• I.e. cost or benefit

14 So… Value for the animal …

• A) Causing harm is wrong

• B) To deprive of a good things is a

harm

• C) Life is a good thing if and only if it is

a “life worth living”

• D) Killing is causing death

Therefore, killing is wrong if and only if

it prevents a life worth living

Decision-making – 1. Evaluation

• Death has value to the animal

– If Life worth living:

• Life = good

• Death = bad

– If Life worth avoiding:

• Life = bad

• Death = good

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Decision-making – 2. constraints

• Should make best decision for the animal

within constraints

– Owner + legality (+ effect on other animals)

– Resources + effect on other animals

• Using up resources on Dog A deprives other

animals

• Do should avoid using up “excessive” resources

• This limits options for Dog A

Contextually-justified euthanasia

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

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