Open AccessEuthanasia in Wildlife Rehabilitation
Author(s) -
David L. McRuer
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
wildlife rehabilitation bulletin
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2769-6960
pISSN - 1535-2242
DOI - 10.53607/wrb.v36.129
Subject(s) - wildlife , animal welfare , value (mathematics) , rehabilitation , pain and suffering , distress , task (project management) , pet therapy , animal assisted therapy , psychology , environmental ethics , medicine , political science , computer science , law , engineering , physical therapy , psychotherapist , biology , ecology , philosophy , systems engineering , machine learning
Euthanasia is the act of humanely inducing death in an animal with minimal pain and distress (AVMA 2013). While the decision to euthanize a patient may be based on objective criteria, and the alleviation of suffering may be the ultimate and desired goal, euthanasia is one of the most difficult tasks faced in wildlife medicine. Wildlife caregivers place significant value on animal welfare. The decision to euthanize, therefore, should be given appropriate consideration and should focus on the animal’s best interest. This article explores the ethics of animal euthanasia in wildlife rehabilitation and the methods commonly used to perform the task.