But Mr Seymour says in Parliament, it's a different story.

"I think at least a third are definitely on for it. Maybe a fifth are hardcore opposed for personal or spiritual or whatever reasons. There's a mushy middle in there I think we would get. We would get it through the first reading."

He'd have Paula Bennett's vote, the Deputy Prime Minister telling The AM Show she's leaning in favour - but would like to analyse the details, to ensure no one would be "coerced" into it.

Labour deputy Jacinda Ardern, also on The AM Show, said she would vote for it.

"The select committee was a good way to try and get MPs from across the House to work up some ideas and ways forward."

Mr Seymour's Bill wouldn't be the first on euthanasia Parliament has debated. In 1995, then-National Party MP Michael Laws had his Death with Dignity Bill drawn. It failed 29-61. In 2003, a similar Bill submitted by a New Zealand First MP failed 58-59.

Former Labour MP Maryan Street's End of Life Choice Bill was withdrawn from the ballot before it was drawn. Mr Seymour praised her efforts, and said he won't be backing down.

"I'm gonna keep my Bill in there as long as I'm a Member of Parliament because you can't lose forever."

The advantage he thinks his Bill has over what's come before is that it is very tight - patients need, among other things, two doctors' sign-off, be over 18, have a terminal illness or degenerative condition, and jump through various bureaucratic hoops. All cases are also reported back to Parliament.

"You can't walk into a hospital and do this by accident," he says.

Newshub.

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Seymour keeping up the fight for euthanasia - Newshub

Animals at risk of euthanasia after Sapulpa shelter runs out of room (KTUL)

The Sapulpa Animal Shelter needs families to adopt its pets.

The shelter only has the capacity to hold eight animals. Right now, they're at 22 and counting. They've even started putting animals in the laundry room.

"We don't want to keep them here," Animal Control Officer Christa Kaler said. "Honestly, if Sapulpa didn't have a shelter, that would be wonderful, and I think many cities would agree."

Kaler says they have had to put multiple dogs in one kennel, which they don't like doing. If they can't get families to adopt or foster the animals, Kaler says they'll have to start euthanizing them.

But first, they'll reach out to rescues, veterinarians and other shelters.

"If we have to make that decision, we have done everything possible we can think of to get that animal out of here," Kaler said.

Sometimes, no one wants a dog because of its breed or age. In other cases, alternative shelters are too full, or the dog doesn't do well with other animals or people.

"Honestly, no shelter likes to euthanize, no rescue, no veterinarian," Kaler said. "These animals, they need a second chance."

The shelter is pleading for families to take in one of the dogs, even just for a few weeks, like Candace Leslie is doing.

"Sapulpa Furry Friends put out an ad saying they really needed fosters because the shelter is full, and they were going to have to start making decisions on what dogs were going to be able to stay or not," Leslie said. "I just decided to help out and watch this one until she goes to a rescue in two weeks."

Leslie is a first-time foster mom. She said her first two dogs were rescues.

"Instead of adopting a dog, I've decided to start fostering so that we can help dogs get in and out of the shelters and make room for others," Leslie said.

All of the animals are vaccinated and spayed or neutered before being adopted out. Adoptions are $60 for dogs and $50 for cats.

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Animals at risk of euthanasia after Sapulpa shelter runs out of room - KTUL

Last updated09:15, April 7 2017

FAIRFAX NZ

Protesters outside Wellington District Court for Susan Austen's appearance.

Supporters of Susan Austen, who has been charged with importing a euthanasia drug, made their presence known outside the Wellington District Court.

Austen, 66, a Lower Hutt teacher, appeared in court on Friday morning charged with twice importing the controlled drug, pentobarbitone.

The supporters were carrying pro-euthanasia placards outside the court before heading in for the hearing. The placards were removed by security before they were allowed into the building.

The group waited in the court foyer for Austen's appearance.

READ MORE: * Susan Austen in court on euthanasia drug charges * Susan Dale Austen appears in court facing charges relating to importation of euthanasia drugs * Charges laid over importing euthanasia drug * Wellington woman Annemarie Treadwell's death trigger for Police euthanasia furore

A Wellington District Court registrar remanded her on bail for two weeks.

Despite police saying they were to lay another charge, no fresh charges were before the court on Friday.

The Independent Police Conduct Commission launched an investigation into complaints police used a vehicle checkpoint operation to identify people who had been to an Exit Wellington meeting in early October, 2016. Exit Wellington is a pro-voluntary euthanasia group.

-Stuff

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Supporters turn out in force ahead of Susan Austen's euthanasia drug court appearance - Stuff.co.nz

Casting has been announced for Stephen Unwins All Our Children at Jermyn Street Theatre in London.

The play, based on historical events, will star David Yelland as a Catholic bishop who starts a campaign against the Nazi programme of euthanasizing people with disabilities.

Edward Franklin, Rebecca Johnson, Lucy Speed and Colin Tierney complete the cast.

Unwin founded English Touring Theatre in 1993 and was artistic director of the Rose Theatre Kingston until 2014. This is his debut as a playwright.

He said All Our Children comes from a deep place. I am the father of a profoundly disabled young man, but also the son of a German-Jewish refugee and was brought up as Catholic. The challenges that the disabled face today are, thankfully, a long way from the horrors of Nazi Germany, but some of the philosophical and social questions that it raises are fiercely relevant today.

Design is by Simon Higlett, with lighting by Tim Mascall and sound by John Leonard.

It runs from April 26 to June 3, with press night on May 2.

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Casting announced for Nazi euthanasia play - The Stage

JEROME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) New numbers from Jerome Police Department show good news for the animal shelter.

In February, the Jerome shelter didn't have to euthanize any animals.

They told us this is due to hard work, luck and knowing the right people and rescues.

The shelter tries to adopt out or transfer animals for which it doesn't have room.

That keeps them from having to euthanize for space.

The euthanasia they're forced to do usually comes from abused animals that they don't anticipate recovering.

"It is really sad, said Heather Kimble, the shelter tech coordinator, because it's not the dog's fault. You get angry. You get sad. And all those emotions that you have to deal with. Fortunately we don't have to do that very often, but that's the reality of life."

If you're interested in helping, the shelter said you can adopt, don't shop for pets.

They also say if you can no longer care for an animal, you should drop them off at a shelter instead of leaving them in the street.

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Jerome Animal Shelter eliminates euthanasia in February - KMVT

Well-known activist, founder of the Malta ALS Foundation and ALS sufferer Bjorn Formosa believes that the debate about euthanasia is being made prematurely, and that it should only be a very last resort.

Speaking with The Malta Independent, Mr Formosa explained that it is his belief that if a person is still able to communicate with the world in one form of another, there is still scope for living.

We want to improve the quality of lives. You cannot decide what state a person is in, and ultimately the choice is always individuals.

Mr Formosa believes that we need to speak about the living-will before speaking of euthanasia. As I have always said, the living will is something that gives peace of mind to all. If a patient fills out a living-will and gives their indication of what they require, the doctor will know what the patients wishes are precisely, as it is written black on white.

A living will is a written consent form which allows a terminally ill patient to decide not to receive treatment, should their state deteriorate to unmanageable levels.

Like that, the next of kin do not have to decide on behalf of the patient, and the patients can decide for themselves. Everything is written and confirmed from before, whether the person wishes to receive treatment or not when reaching a certain stage. This already takes place indirectly anyway.

Mr Formosa continued: In many cases, at least with regard to ALS sufferers, patients lose hope because they dont have adequate care, or rather the means to access adequate care. For example in my case, if I didnt have certain things, I would be much more negative.

So for those people living with terminal illness, who look at life in a very negative way and are suffering, I believe that everything should be done in order to improve that quality of life. I would try to leave the issue of euthanasia as the last option.

As long as a person can communicate their message in some shape or form, I believe that person can still do a lot. When a person has literally no way of communicating with the world, then the situation becomes much more difficult. As long as I have some strength left in my body, I always want to work in favour of life.

Look at that Italian guy, who became paralyzed, he is blind, and is enduring endless suffering. In that case, the scope for life is greatly diminished. I believe that we are jumping the gun when we speak of euthanasia in a number of specific cases, such as mine. Certain problems can be tackled through medical interventions, and we should fight to get more solutions.

If a person wants euthanasia, nobody can really control that situation, it is an individual decision.

ALS respite home

Last Friday, Mr Formosa, through the popular PBS programmeXarabank,managed to raise over 900,000 in order for the Foundation to realise its dream of setting up a specially equipped respite home for ALS sufferers.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that the government will cover the annual expenses of the home.

Yesterday, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, through the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF), presented Mr Formosa with a cheque worth 10,000 in aid of the Malta ALS Foundation. Speaking at the press conference, Mr Formosa had said that he hopes the project will be able to give ALS sufferers some genuine hope and rest, and that they may receive treatment and care in a place specially equipped for the requirements of such patients. He expressed hope that at some point a cure would be found for the tragic illness.

Asked what his chances are of being able to see his dream project completed, Mr Formosa bravely said: Well, I used to work in iGaming, so I look at it as a game of odds. If I had to place a bet, it would be leaning more towards the side of me not living to see this project completed. It would be really difficult to see it done, but obviously I will do everything in my power to see it progress as much as possible. This project has given me peace of mind, in the sense that, with or without me, this project is going to happen and funds have been allocated, so that other ALS sufferers will have everything they need to improve the quality of their lives.

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Euthanasia should be a last resort Bjorn Formosa, ALS sufferer - Malta Independent Online

By Charles Lewis

It ran in The Ottawa Citizen in December at a time when most people were thinking about the glad tidings of Christmas.

Health Canada, the story said, had struck a committee of experts to study expanding the current euthanasia law to mature minors and those with mental illness. The term mature minors was not defined, the story said. The committee will also look at adding an advance consent clause such as to specify desire to be killed in a living will. It must report by December 2018.

It was a confirmation the slippery slope argument against legalized euthanasia was not just a paranoid fantasy to scare supporters of state-sanctioned death but a living, breathing menace.

The law passed last June was supposed to be restrictive and safe. It said only adults whose suffering was unbearable and whose death was reasonably foreseeable could legally die at the hands of their physicians. From the time of legalization to mid-December, the last statistics made available, 744 Canadians had died under the new death regime. The same act that was considered murder just over a year ago is now an acceptable part of medical practice.

We know nothing about those 744. The specifics are private. Those physicians and ethicists who oppose euthanasia will tell you the current law allows for judgment calls since reasonably foreseeable is not an exact science. End-of-life predictions have become more difficult which should be something to celebrate. We all know those who have had cancer, a diagnosis that was a death sentence a generation ago, living for many good years and in some cases beating the disease completely. Euthanasia has the potential to destroy those years beyond which a reasonable diagnosis can predict.

This is one of the perverse things about euthanasia. For years medical science has made huge strides in fighting deadly diseases and finding ways to quell pain. Yet, just as progress was soaring a collective decision was made to throw death into the mix.

As for the Health Canada review, no one should be surprised. Those of us who have been battling euthanasia have long known how Belgium and The Netherlands degenerated into death societies over the past two decades. In those countries almost any reason is good enough to die. It is embedded in those countries cultures and it will not be long before the vast majority of citizens of those countries will be unable to remember a time when life was precious and worth saving.

The evidence for the slippery slope was also made apparent during the run-up to legalization.

The Supreme Court of Canada decision in February 2015 to scrap the Criminal Code prohibitions against euthanasia and a subsequent parliamentary committee charged with creating new legislation demanded by the court, recommended those with chronic pain, psychiatric issues and those who were dying be given access to death. There was also a call to study euthanasia for teens.

The Liberal government of Justin Trudeau seemed to choose a more reasonable law, hailed by some as a Solomon-like compromise. But now the ghosts of those earlier extreme proposals loom.

Euthanasia is a corrupter of society. It destroys law, medicine, and care. It destroys the sense of nobility in which men and women strive to save and restore lives. We still sorely lack palliative care for those of us who do not want to kill ourselves but live our days as if each was a gift from God. At last count 70 per cent of Canadians who need palliative care cannot get it.

How we got here is now less important than what we will do now. There is no political party who will save us. At least on this issue, politics is dead.

Having said that, we should lobby provincial MPPs [Member of Provincial Parliaments] to make sure doctors whose conscience tells them euthanasia is murder are not penalized for their refusal to cooperate in any way with the killing of their patients. The Archdiocese of Toronto along with many allies is gallantly fighting for conscience protection.

Beyond that there will still be doctors who are willing to kill. And God only knows what the next generation of medical school students will be taught.

We must find ways of taking care of ourselves. It will have to happen at the parish level, sometimes the only true communities left in our ultra-mobile world. And it will have to mean that those Catholics who present themselves for the Eucharist, who harbor support for killing, better wake up and remember who they are. You may fool some but not God.

Get ready. Learn as much as you can. A new dark age is already happening. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

Editors note. Mr. Lewis is a Toronto writer. This appeared in The Catholic Register.

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Euthanasia's slippery slope is no longer a fantasy - National Right to Life News

Judy Putnam, Lansing State Journal Published 4:50 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 21 hours ago

As more states legalize marijuana, pet owners are giving their dogs and cats cannabis to treat everything from anxiety to arthritis. But veterinarians say there isn't enough scientific data to show it's safe and effective for animals. AP

1 of 11

A little piggy named Hamlet went to the market this week after 60 mph winds blew his house down. Wochit

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The Chesapeake Humane Society has come up with a creative way to spread awareness for their furry friends to find a permanent home. USA TODAY NETWORK

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Workers at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak treated animals to Valentine's Day-themed goodies. Detroit Free Press

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Jim Schaefer interviews Jocelyn Grabowski about the Berkley Animal Clinic's efforts to save a classroom pet. Jim Schaefer/Detroit Free Press

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This home sits on 240 isolated acres and could be ideal for collectors, farmers, private types or party animals. Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press

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Detroit Zoo has a new cricket breeding program. Some 1,900 animals from anteaters to birds, various reptiles and amphibians eat them. This program allows the zoo to save $225,000 from shipping them in from the outside. Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press

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Bark-A-Bout pet resort in Shelby Twp. hosts Pets Paint with a Purpose to benefit 4 Paws 1 Heart and Davinci Foundation for animals. Jessica J.Trevino, Detroit Free Press

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The Detroit Zoo's warthog piglets were names after characters from "Game of Thrones." Detroit Zoo

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Visitors at the Jacksonville, Fla., Zoo were introduced to the three newest members of the lion family on New Year's Eve. Gannett-USA TODAY

10 of 11

Kathleen Talbot was not expecting to find a two-headed turtle when she stepped out of her house in Hudson, Maine. You've got to see this little guy...or guys?!

11 of 11

Pets on pot: Owners treat sick animals with weed

Lost Michigan pig takes a trip to Home Depot

Cats up for adoption purr-fectly pose for glamour shots

Love is in the air at the Detroit Zoo

A few minutes with ... the caregivers of Coco the guinea pig

Lapeer farm house could be dream come true

Cricket breeding program at Detroit Zoo

Dogs making art at Bark-A-Bout pet resort

Warthog piglets at the Detroit Zoo

Lion cubs romp with mom in public debut

Two-headed turtle crosses the road...not a joke!

Iyesta, a 13-year-old tabby, was euthanized after suffering from cancer. Her owner now regrets the decision.(Photo: Courtesy)

A Delta Township woman who regrets euthanizing her cat is angry at Michigan State Universitys veterinary clinic for what she described as continued pressure to end her pets life.

Though a veterinary hospital official said its an unusual accusation and consent for euthanasia was given in the case, it offers a window into the tough decisions for pet owners. Many of us consider our pets as members of our families.

For some people, these are children for want of a better word, said Dr. Chris Gray, director of the MSU Veterinary Medical Center.

In Faye Norris case, money wasnt among the considerations. Shes a retired state employee who was willing to spend what it took to help her beloved cat, a 13-year-old tabby named Iyesta.

Norris said she doesnt believe in euthanasia and told staff repeatedly at the Medical Centers Small Animal Clinic that she didnt want that option for Iyesta. She said MSU has a culture of euthanasia.

I dont believe in euthanasia because I feel God created people and animals, and I believe he created us and he should decide when we die, she said.

Iyesta was diagnosed with cancer in June after Norris discovered a lump on her neck. She took Iyesta to the clinic 28 times, including at times daily for bandage changes, and paid for expensive chemotherapy. She said treatments totaled $8,600. Her cat developed sores and had low energy.

Norris said the clinics staff of oncologists, veterinarians and a social worker brought up euthanasia again and again.

Read more:

Snakes, bearded dragons and geckos need shelter in power outage, too

Pot for pets: Owners treat sick animals with marijuana

The doctors at MSU think they know when your animal's life isn't worthwhile ... and then they keep pressuring you to euthanize your pet until it happens, she wrote in a follow-up e-mail.

On Iyestas last day in October,Norris rushed her to the clinic for help with pain. After she said she wouldnt put her cat to sleep unless there were no other options, she said the vet examining Iyesta told her there was nothing left to do. Her sweet cat was in pain. She consented.

The next day she checked on the cats lab report and found that Iyestas vital signs and oxygen levels were good, and her hydration had been improving after afeeding tube was inserted. She was angry and filed a complaint, feeling robbed of time with Iyesta.

Gray reviewed the case after Norris complained and has a different story. In a letter to Norris, Gray said that the vet who took care of Iyesta did not recall her objections to euthanasia. The vet agreed that she said she didnt want her cat in pain.

The cat was so weak, she had difficulty lifting her head, Gray wrote. Norris disputes that description.

None of our clinicians would force euthanasia upon an owner nor undertake euthanasia without owner consent, Gray wrote.

He did agreeto continue to ensure that the discussions of euthanasia are as empathetic and compassionate as possible.

Gray said in an interview that there are no rigid guidelines on when to suggest euthanasia. He said its also hard to summarize how decisions are made.

Different vets will advise in different ways, and different owners will make decisions at different points, he said.

He said a small percentage of pet owners, in his experience, oppose it completely.

They are few and far between, he said.

Gray said he can recall no other cases of complaints like Norris. In fact some pet owners have complained that their animals were treated too long before euthanasia was offered.

Because the clinic takes animals referred to them from veterinary practices and it is a teaching hospital with more options we are less prone to euthanasia than other practices, Gray said.

Norris is not only sad, shes angry. She is still grieving hard, feeling like she didnt do everything she could for her cat. She has seven other felines.

Her story made me recall my own experience in 2013. My 13-year-old Brittany spaniel was failing. She had been diagnosed with a disease involving the pituitary gland, Cushings disease. I remember a friend gently suggesting that maybe we were keeping Phoebe alive when she didnt have a good quality of life. I protested. Her quality of life seemed OK but my familys wasnt with lots of interrupted sleep and messes and handling of medications.

But when Phoebe suddenly started falling down and could no longer walk, we decided it was time and made the appointment. The power was out, it was bitterly cold, and I wrapped her in a blanket in front of a fire, stroking her red-and-white fur and saying goodbye.

By the appointment time, however, she had perked up and was back on her feet, even snapping up dog treats at the vets office. Should we postpone?

My husband and son made me decide, probably because she was considered my dog except during bird hunting season when she shadowed my husband constantly.

I resented being handed the final call but I made it and she died in my arms.

It was tough. I felt selfish and, like Norris, I had second thoughts. In the end, I decided that she had lived a good life and that I should focus on that.

I still miss her.

Judy Putnam is a columnist with the Lansing State Journal. Contact herat 517-267-1304 or atjputnam@lsj.com. Write to her at300 S. Washington SquareSuite #300Lansing, MI, 48933. Follow her on Twitter@JudyPutnam.

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Euthanizing cat haunts Michigan woman - Detroit Free Press

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Recall EXPANDED: Evanger's Dog and Cat Food, sold nationwide ... fox6now.com Out of an abundance of caution, Evanger's Dog & Cat Food is voluntarily expanding its recall of Hunk of Beef dog food, and is also recalling Evanger's Braised ... Evanger's pet food recall due to euthanasia agent found in dog foodWRCB-TV Recall of dog food tainted by death drug widened - USA TodayUSA TODAY all 4 news articles »

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Recall EXPANDED: Evanger's Dog and Cat Food, sold nationwide ... - fox6now.com

I have no ambition, ever, to be the oldest man in Ireland. I do not want the media traipsing to my nursing home bed where I am propped up before an icing-covered sponge cake with 118 candles.

I do not want cameras there as I am presented with a cheque from the President, or bored reporters asking me that underwhelming question: What is the secret of your long life? Then again . . .

Were it to happen, there is just one reason why I would ever like to be 118. I would love to be asked that question. I would love to reply to them: Loads of late nights. A bottle or two of brandy a day. Plenty of red meat. Forty cigarettes between sunrise and sunset. No religion. Sex whenever with whomever/whatever, wherever I could get it. And a very bad temper. It might stop them asking that daft question again for fear theyd get an honest answer.

I have always believed our life design is upside down. Where people vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease/And wear their brave state out of memory, as Shakespeare put it. We grow; hold our perfection briefly; we decline. Might it not be more humane were it the other way around?

Some suggest that is what happens, how with old age we revert to childhood. That, however, is accompanied by a stripping away of our independence, our dignity, as control disintegrates and we become a humiliation to ourselves.

Old age has little to offer. We should not be trying to prolong it. Who wants to end up incontinent in mind and body? Why should anyone be forced to endure such final humiliation against their will?

It is said that some years ago, when asked his opinion on euthanasia, a rural TD responded: I suppose theyre no better than our own youth here at home. He could be forgiven as few talked about euthanasia then. Now, its different.

In this newspaper last month we featured Kate Tobin, a former nun who worked for 13 years as a palliative care nurse. She has MS and wants the right to die when it progresses. Who are we to say she should be forced against her will to suffer the humiliating latter stages of that awful disease?

Euthanasia, from Greek meaning an easy, good, or happy death. From eu/good plus thanatos/death.

inaword@irishtimes.com

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In a Word . . . Euthanasia - Irish Times

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Go grab your favorite pet gently, gently and sit down to share some great news about shelter dogs and cats.

New data put out by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and shared exclusively with TODAY, shows that many fewer animals are landing in shelters in the United States. Those who do have a much, much better chance of getting out alive.

In 2011, 2.7 million animals per year were losing their lives. Today, that figure is 1.5 million, according to the ASPCA.

As of now, about 6.5 million cats and dogs per year are winding up in the country's animal shelters. That's 3.3 million dogs and 3.2 million cats. It's a positive change from the last time the ASPCA looked at this kind of shelter data in 2011. Then, the figure was 7.2 million.

On the adoption front things are getting better, too. About 3.2 million shelter animals are being adopted every year now, up from 2.7 million. In other words, an additional half a million cats and dogs are being adopted out of shelters annually.

RELATED: Monks induct stray dog into their brotherhood as Friar Mustache

Shelter euthanasia has correspondingly gone down. In 2011, 2.7 million animals per year were losing their lives. Today, that figure is 1.5 million 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. For those who don't love doing math: that's an additional 1.2 million animals per year whose lives are being saved.

And another bit of cheer: More pets entering shelters as strays are being reclaimed by their owners 710,000 lucky dogs and cats now, versus 649,000 in 2011.

Pumpkin the cat and Winnie the dog were adopted from different shelters, but now they are family.

What accounts for these improvements? Emily Weiss, the ASPCA's vice president for research and development, tells TODAY there are a number of likely factors.

One is that many shelters are doing away with cumbersome adoption procedures, in favor of what's known as "open adoptions" this helps more animals find their ways into loving homes.

At the same time, the increased availability of low cost and free spay/neuter surgeries is helping reduce the number of unwanted animals to begin with. Programs to help people care for their critters, even when they are going through rough times themselves, also keep pets out of the shelter. These include pet food banks, veterinary funds, and fosters to take pets temporarily while their owners are coping with an emergency.

RELATED: Dog left at shelter comes with heartbreaking letter from kid who loved him

Skeeter the dog loves his kitten, Roo.

Jurisdictions scrapping "breed specific legislation" laws that regulate pit bulls and other dogs based on breed or appearance, rather than behavior are an additional positive step. These breed bans, among their other ills, place an enormous barrier toward adoption.

Additionally, more folks are microchipping their cats and dogs, meaning more lost pets can be returned. (Though significantly more dogs than cats are microchipped, and returned, as of now so go microchip your cats!)

This all dovetails with a major cultural shift in how we, as a society, view our animal companions, says Weiss.

"They are increasingly viewed as a part of the family," she said in an email.

HarleyQuinn the dog and Memphis the kitten were both adopted from the city shelter in Brooklyn, New York.

But how can we do even better keep more animals out of the shelter, get more shelter pets into homes?

One important way is by expanding safety-net programs "to provide financially challenged pet owners with easy and affordable access to vital pet care services," said the ASPCA's president and CEO Matt Bershadker. "When communities focus on ways to keep pets in the safe and loving homes they have, more animals will be saved from suffering, and more room will be available at local shelters for other pets in need."

RELATED: Injured hiker has tearful reunion with the dog he had to leave behind

We can also work toward repealing the breed bans still in effect in hundreds of North American communities, put resources toward rehabilitating animals rescued from cruelty, and develop more robust transport networks to move homeless pets from parts of the country where they are unlikely to be adopted, to places with a shortage of adoptable animals.

Then there's the one tail-waggingingly easy way you can help right now.

"Make adoption your first option," said Bershadker. "There are still far too many amazing dogs and cats in shelters who need and deserve loving homes."

Continued here:

ASPCA: Adoption is up, euthanasia's down at animal shelters - Today - Today.com

OTTAWA Anti-euthanasia groups have expressed dismay at a political push in Quebec for advanced directives for dementia patients, following the murder of a woman by her caregiver husband last month.

If Quebec opens up euthanasia for those who sign advanced directives before they become incapacitated, the rest of Canada could follow, warns Aubert Martin, the executive director of the Quebec grassroots group Living with Dignity/Vivre dans la Dignit.

Quebecs euthanasia law is more restrictive than the federal law, limiting the killing of patients to those who have the capacity to consent and who are terminally ill.

Martin noted the federal euthanasia law passed last year included a study on contentious issues such as advanced directives and euthanasia for consenting minors and for those with mental illness. Whats happening in Quebec will have a great impact on the ongoing studies that started in December, he said.

The slippery slope is really a logical extension, said Alex Schadenburg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Once you legalize killing it becomes discrimination not to allow it for someone under 18, for mental illness alone, or for those with advanced directives.

The mistake was allowing it in the first place, he said. Now how do you put a lid on it?

Schadenburg expressed concern groups like his are not part of the federal government study, which instead seems to be relying on research from euthanasia advocates.

The pressure to open up euthanasia to the mentally incapacitated follows the laying of second-degree murder charges on Feb. 21 against Michel Cadotte for the death of his wife Jocelyne Lizotte, 60, who had Alzheimers disease.

Its going at a very fast speed, the pressure to include advanced directives, said Martin. At first, we were shocked by the reaction of the Quebec government and all parties, actually.

He noted the investigation into the death is only beginning and Cadotte had admitted on Facebook that he had cracked under the pressure of caring for his wife, who had been living in a long-term care facility.

Instead of questioning the lack of resources to support caregivers, the government and all parties jumped to the conclusion that we should open euthanasia to incapacitated people, Martin said.

Its quite shocking. Its not the kind of reaction we would expect a government to have. Its like they are eager to open the debate, as if they were waiting for that somehow.

The Physicians Alliance Against Euthanasia expressed sadness at Lizottes death and outrage at the loneliness her husband experienced, and that of so many other caregivers, relatives or spouses of patients suffering from Alzheimers.

But what is most disturbing is the reaction of politicians for whom the solution to this tragedy is to propose euthanasia by advance directive for people suffering from dementia, said the groups Feb. 27 news release.

Imagine killing a person, who does not ask to die, with composure, because earlier in her life she wrote that she did not want to get where she is now, the Alliance said, noting a case like this happened recently in the Netherlands where a woman had to be held down by her family while a doctor administered a lethal injection she resisted receiving.

Most people with dementia quickly lose consciousness of their condition, the Alliance said.

The vast majority are happy, in a safe and welcoming environment, whether in society, in family or in specialized residences.

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Groups push back against widening Quebec euthanasia law - The Catholic Register

The importance of stories in the euthanasia debate - MercatorNet MercatorNet (blog) The pro-euthanasia case is compact and quick and easy to make: It focuses on a terminally ill, seriously suffering, competent adult who gives informed consent ... and more »

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The importance of stories in the euthanasia debate - MercatorNet - MercatorNet (blog)

After all the recent films promoting euthanasia, it is interesting how The Mother Situation won first prize in the Tropfest film festival in Australia. Tropfest is the worlds largest short film festival.

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Link to The Mother Situation. Warning: This film contains swearing.

Director, Matt Day, insists that he supports euthanasia and that this is not an anti-euthanasia film, yet The Mother Situation is a comic film that casts doubt on the effectiveness of safeguards concerning euthanasia.

Film is a powerful cultural medium.

Recently a euthanasia advocate changed her mind after watching The Euthanasia Deception documentary with her grandson. The Euthanasia Deception documentary is produced by The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) and DunnMedia.

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EPC is committed to producing films for social change at: http://www.vulnerablefilms.com.

LifeNews.com Note: Alex Schadenberg is the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and you can read his blog here.

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The Mother Situation: Award-Winning Short Film About the Dangers of Euthanasia Wins at Film Festival - LifeNews.com

March 6, 2017 5:51 PM

Courtesy: FDA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) A dog food recall has been expanded due to possible contamination with a drug that is used for euthanasia.

Last month Illinois-based Evangers Dog & Cat Food Company recalled cans of Hunk of Beef Au Jus for possible interaction with the drug pentobarbital, an anti-seizure drug that can be fatal in large doses. Now the company has voluntarily recalled two more types of food as an abundance of caution, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Following is the list of 12 oz. cans of dog foods that are being voluntarily recalled.

The numbers listed after the name of the product are the second half of the barcode, which can be found on the back of the product label:

Symptoms of exposure to pentobarbital are drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance and nausea, the FDA statement said.

Customers can return the recalled products wherever they were bought for a full refund. Anyone with questions can call Evangers between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday at 1.847.537.0102.

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More Dog Food Recalled For Possible Contamination With ... - CBS Los Angeles

(KMSP) - Representative Jon Applebaum of Minnetonka recently introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of gas chambers as a method of euthanizing pets at animal shelters in Minnesota. Currently, 27 other states either fully or partially ban the practice.

Rep. Applebaum said he finds the practice repulsive, and said that he looks forward to working with the Humane Society and animal welfare organizations to bring an end to the practice.

According to the Humane Society, an animals death must be free of pain, stress and fear in order to qualify as euthanasia

The organization believes gas chambers do not meet that standard because pain, stress and fear are experienced when animals are placed in unfamiliar, confined gas chamber spaces.

It also argues that many gas chambers are old and may not be well-calibrated, leading to situations where an animals vital organs begin to shut down while still conscious.

The American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines state that euthanasia by intravenous injection remains the preferred method for euthanasia of dogs, cats and other small companion animals, and that gas chambers are not recommended for routine euthanasia of dogs and cats in shelters and animal control operations.

The bill, HF 2054, already has bipartisan support and awaits action by the House Agriculture Policy Committee.'

READ THIS NEXT -Minnesota group rescues newborn puppies abandoned in Louisiana

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Minnesota rep introduces bill to ban gas chambers for pet ... - Fox 9 - KMSP-TV

Sacramento Bee

Trumpcare: Euthanasia to cure a cold Sacramento Bee But the Republican authors of Trumpcare seem to want to cure a cold with euthanasia. Their plan to gut the requirement that individuals carry insurance will almost certainly trigger a death spiral in which healthy people will opt out, causing premiums ... Legislative - Energy and Commerce CommitteeEnergy and Commerce Committee all 2,287 news articles »

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Trumpcare: Euthanasia to cure a cold - Sacramento Bee

16,000 Voices Launches Today Showing Kiwis Say No to Euthanasia

Today marks the launch of the campaign 16,000 Voices Kiwis say no to euthanasia. The campaign gives voice to a sampling of the 16,000 people who wrote in to the Health Select Committee expressing their opposition to euthanasia.

Most of the New Zealand public is unaware of just how overwhelming the opposition has been to the introduction of euthanasia legislation, says Dr Jane Silloway Smith, Director of Every Life Research Unit, whose analysis of submissions made to the Committee forms the basis of the information provided in 16,000Voices.

For nearly seven months, the Health Select Committee has been hearing stories from hundreds of Kiwis, and 3 out of 4 of them have been saying no to euthanasia, says Dr. Smith. But hardly anyone outside of the Committee is aware of what theyve said.

If the Committee reports accurately on what theyve been reading and hearing, were unlikely to see an endorsement for euthanasia legislation, which may come as a shock to many. Thats why 16,000 Voices is so important to let us hear why Kiwis are saying no to euthanasia in their own words.

The 16,000 Voices campaign encompasses a website with videos and written submissions, alongside a Facebook page and You Tube channel.

ENDS

Scoop Media

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16,000 Voices Show Kiwis Say No to Euthanasia | Scoop News - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

WGN-TV

Deformed dog Picasso saved from euthanasia becomes internet star WGN-TV EUGENE, Ore. -- He was destined for euthanasia, but a rescue group saw a work of art. Now Picasso, a 10-month-old pit bull-corgi mix who was rescued from a high-kill animal shelter in Southern California, is an international celebrity. Liesl Wilhardt ... Dog With Misshapen Snout Was on Euthanasia List Until a Rescue Stepped InCosmopolitan.com Photo of Picasso the deformed dog sees him go from kill list to it list ...Yahoo7 News Deformed dog, abandoned for his looks, seeks adoptionWFTV Orlando NBC 6 South Florida all 11 news articles »

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Deformed dog Picasso saved from euthanasia becomes internet star - WGN-TV

They argue Mary Kills People glamorizes assisted suicide By Agnieszka Krawczynski Photo: Caroline Dhavernas stars as Mary Harris in Mary Kills People. (Corus Entertainment)

The Catholic Womens League has fired sharp criticism at a new TV show dealing with the dark issue of assisted suicide.

It is with extreme sadness that I write to register the absolute disapproval of the Catholic Womens League of Canada to the airing of the six-part program series Mary Kills People, wrote CWL national president Margaret Ann Jacobs.

The series, which premiered on Global Jan. 25, features an emergency room doctor named Mary Harris who carries out illegal assisted suicide on the side. The show has been categorized as a drama and black comedy.

In Jacobs letter to parent company Corus Entertainment, she says Mary Kills People glamorizes assisted suicide and could cause ill-informed, isolated, and lonely people to consider taking their lives.

How sad that Global Television is reducing these life-altering circumstances and decisions to pop culture.

More than 82,000 women across Canada are members of the CWL, which strongly opposes assisted suicide. It regularly speaks out against the practice and promotes palliative care as the proper alternative.

A CWL press release dated Jan. 23 said the organization is profoundly dismayed and disappointed with Global for releasing the show.

Death by any means is not glamorous and should not be portrayed as such.

Global maintains it does not promote or oppose controversial issues.

In a statement to The B.C. Catholic, spokesperson Jacqui VanSickle said, while this fictional series does feature assisted dying, it does not sensationalize this controversial topic or encourage any one point of view.

VanSickle added Mary Kills People is mindful to include various perspectives on the issue of assisted death, including those who do not agree with its practice.

Mary Harris, the fictional doctor, does everything she can to save lives and in situations where her patients seek death, they are not treated lightly, said VanSickle.

This is a sensitive topic and all storylines are depicted with the utmost respect and dignity.

Barbara Dowding, past national president of the CWL, is not buying it. She wrote to Global as a concerned individual and received a similar response.

Dowding replied to Global, saying If you are keen on balanced programming, you should show The Euthanasia Deception, a documentary produced by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition last year that includes testimonies from people in Belgium warning the rest of the world of the dangers of legalizing the practice.

Dowding said she received no reply.

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CWL decries new euthanasia TV show - B.C. Catholic Newspaper