Category Archives: Euthanasia

My name is Holly Warland, Im 30 years old, I have Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, and I have won the right to die. In 2021, my home state of Queensland (Australia) legalized Voluntary Assisted Dying a process formerly known as euthanasia for people suffering from terminal illnesses. I advocated and fought for this law so that I could control when and how I end my suffering.

If the name hasnt clued you in already, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) is a genetic muscle-wasting disease that affects the bodys limbs and girdles (hips, shoulders). Basically, my entire body from the neck down. LGMD involves the deterioration of my muscles due to a protein deficiency. When I use my muscles, they dont regenerate like they would for anyone else. Over the last thirty years, I have lost all ability to look after myself and function as a normal human being. I am bedbound and need help with toileting, feeding myself, showering, and preparing medication, and have essentially zero mobility. I even need help in my sleep! My husband has to roll me from side to side every hour or two so I dont get sore in the same position all night.

Other people living with LGMD will have different experiences; some are even able to live mostly regular lives. However, due to a lack of experts or research, I can only assume that mine is a particularly aggressive case. Theres very little in the way of treatments or therapy that can help my diminishing strength.

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My only means of mobility are a pair of wheelchairs one for going outside and one for showering and toileting. My hospital bed, which I exist in for over 23 hours every day, uses an air compressor to maintain a cushion of air underneath me to help avoid bedsores. My days are mostly a balancing act of relieving my aches and pains with physical therapy (lots of stretching and massage), managing medications, and regulating my mood.

I was diagnosed at 11, but I tried not to let it stop me from achieving goals, but I also had to stay realistic when setting them. Being the humble human in the world, I decided I would earn a doctorate by 25 years old. After high school, I went on to study psychology at university, later going on to teach others and study for my Ph.D. in autism neuropsychology. I would use an electric wheelchair to attend university via sometimes outright dangerous taxi rides. This proved to be doable for the majority of my university career throughout my early 20s. During this time, I was still reasonably mobile and could socialize with friends, go to concerts, and even dated around a little.

I met my husband in 2015 online dating while I was still studying. We had a great 18 months together until my body began to betray me. My strength dipped due to the nature of my condition my muscles had been atrophying and had gotten to the point where my autonomy was being strained. I could no longer attend university and my strength made my study and any type of work nearly impossible.

I found myself at home with vomiting spells, shaking, sweats, muscle contractions/spasms, episodes of breathlessness, heart palpitations, and muscular pain. My husband (then boyfriend) stayed home to care for me and became my official carer. This all led to me becoming severely depressed as I came to the realization that I would have to kill myself in order to avoid a slow, painful death.

I wanted to die as soon as possible and desperately began looking for options, but the only one available to me was DIGNITAS a Swiss organization that helps terminally ill people to end life on their own terms. Unfortunately, I wasnt up for the twenty-hour plane ride. My own country had no similar laws, but support was growing in another state for medically assisted suicide (now called Voluntary Assisted Dying). I felt helpless.

I was stuck in bed, sick every day and crying in pain thinking, How could I escape this? Even though everyone would love a peaceful death, no laws were in place to give me the right to one.

Despite living in a western modern country, the rights to a peaceful death were still far away. I felt frustrated.

In 2017 I started an Instagram and Facebook to document the ugly truth about disability in the hopes of raising awareness of my situation. I wanted to honestly depict how muscular dystrophy (and other similar disabilities) can affect your life. I put some graphic, uncomfortable stuff (my naked body, disability injuries) on there, but I managed to find an audience that was interested. People who are sick of disability being sugarcoated. As my followers started to grow, and my opinion was shared by many, I felt like I had the power behind me to do something.

In 2018 my story was published in a local newspaper. The story would go on to win a Walkley Award sort of the Oscars for Australian journalism. This was a small, state-wide magazine, but had an impact nonetheless.

This launched my online career and would allow and encourage me to get involved with my state politics. I contributed to the Dying with Dignity campaign to legalize VAD in Queensland. I shot a video testimonial and wrote my story again to be heard before the state parliament. At this stage, my health was so bad that I couldnt attend any rallies or hearings. This is why I relied on some #BadBacktivism.

The internet has made it possible for me to protest from my bed. If I was in this situation 20 years ago I would have been completely useless as a political force! I have managed to achieve change without leaving my house. I thought this was impossible, and that I was to remain forever depressed and feeling helpless regarding social issues that I wanted to help change. I wanted to go beyond slacktivism. Simply liking a Facebook post wasnt enough for me anymore. I had to take control of my death. This could only be done by taking the right routes to change. I wrote letters to my parliamentary members, joined an established campaign group, and used my platform on Instagram to challenge antiquated (and often religious) views. Obviously, my passion for this campaign was self-serving to begin with as I was frantically looking for a way out. But it became more as I began to connect with fellow sufferers and was encouraged to make my own shit happen. I couldnt rely on or wait for the world to catch up with me.

I dont want to be called inspirational because my original reasoning for change was selfish.

I was doing all this while taking several different medications, sick and in pain every day, while stuck in bed with a bad back!

After years of campaigning, my state finally held a vote on a VAD bill that would allow terminally ill people to end their suffering. They voted YES to give dying people access to a pill that kills them peacefully. All authorized by medical professionals, with checks in place to ensure no one is being coerced, and no more than 12 months from the predicted time of death. Although this is a massive victory on the path to legalized VAD, my condition still would not qualify. This is a bittersweet victory. Although my muscles are deteriorating at a rapid pace, no doctor can predict when or how I will pass away. This doesnt mean I dont want control over my end of life.

Obviously, I didnt change the law by myself, but I like to think I encouraged others to join the fight to go beyond liking a post, and actually get involved. Its been these small steps that led to this victory, as well as an army of people with varying physical abilities and a unified need for a better death. This victory isnt mine; its shared with the thousands of Australians who live with permanent pain and health issues, as my country begins to ask itself; what does the quality of death mean to them?

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My Journey Of Fighting For The Right To Pass Away Voluntarily - Bored Panda

POLICE NEW AT SIX IOWAS I ONCE AGAIN GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR A PROBLEM WITH PUPPY MILLS. THE HUMANE SOCIETYS HORRIBLE HUNDRED REPORTS SAYS THAT IOWA HAS THE SECOND MOST REPORTED PUPPY MLSIL IN THE COUNTRY AT 17. THE REPORT DETAILS ARE HORRIFIC AND INCDELU CASES OF UNETHICAL EUTHANASIA AT HOME VETERINARIAN TREATMENTS AND DANGEROUS LIVING CONDITIONS. HUNDREDS OF DOGS MISSOURI IS THE ONLY STATE THAT RANKS

Report: Iowa among the worst states when it comes to puppy mills

Updated: 10:24 PM CDT May 10, 2022

Iowa is once again getting national attention for a problem with puppy mills. Iowa has the second most reported puppy mills in the country with 17, according to the Humane Society's Horrible Hundred latest report. The report details horrific cases of unethical euthanasia, at-home veterinary treatments and dangerous living conditions for hundreds of dogs. Missouri is the only state that ranks worse than Iowa, with 26 confirmed puppy mills.More news:

Iowa is once again getting national attention for a problem with puppy mills.

Iowa has the second most reported puppy mills in the country with 17, according to the Humane Society's Horrible Hundred latest report.

The report details horrific cases of unethical euthanasia, at-home veterinary treatments and dangerous living conditions for hundreds of dogs.

Missouri is the only state that ranks worse than Iowa, with 26 confirmed puppy mills.

More news:

Originally posted here:

Report: Iowa among the worst states when it comes to puppy mills - KCCI Des Moines

Editor:

I am in my seventieth year of life. My life is finite, like everyone elses. I want to finish this life with honour and with integrity. I want to leave a legacy to my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that I have lived life to the fullest until my last breath.

I learn a lot of what I just wrote from my 18 year old grandson, who 14 months ago, was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma. Through 20 rounds of chemotherapy, another 25 bouts of radiation therapy and a number of surgeries, the doctors have had to admit defeat. Cancer is going to win the battle over my 18 year old grandson. But my grandson does not give up on the life he has been given. He lives each moment, and like Henry David Thoreau wrote more than a century ago, to suck the very marrow out of life. Each breath is precious. Each life is finite and ought to be lived until the last breath is naturally taken from that life. My grandson is teaching all those who encounter him this very important lesson and his grandfather is one of them.

And that is what makes the present and the future euthanasia laws so heinous. Each life is precious and should be savoured and relished for the incredible gift it is. Our members of parliament need to do the right thing by speaking up and voting against making MAID [medical assistance in dying] more available. Even better would be to reverse and fight the recent trend to make euthanasia more accessible.

Yours,

John Siebenga

Continued here:

Each life is precious and should be savoured - Houston Today

Michael Asciak, a doctor and former chairperson of the Bioethics Consultative Committee suggested the introduction of advance directives and further investment in palliative care before opening a discussion on the delicate subject of euthanasia.

Speaking on Andrew Azzopardis talkshow on 103 Maltas Heart, Michael Asciak, said before euthanasia, we must introduce advanced directives which would allow people to instruct what should be done if they are no longer conscious.

Living wills and other advance directives which are not legal in Malta are written, legal instructions regarding preferences for medical care if somebody is unable to make decisions for themselves.

Advance directives guide choices for doctors and caregivers if a person is terminally ill, seriously injured, in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of life.

Asciak who is opposed to euthanasia added that we need more solidarity and support because very few patients who are given support choose to die, because such people fear that they will be left alone. That is why we need to strengthen palliative care.

The former MP noted that the only palliative care in Malta is offered by the voluntary organisation Hospice Malta.

He also stressed the need to differentiate between positive and negative euthanasia, or in other words ending somebodys life by giving them medicine or by assisting them to die by not giving them medicine.

Euthanasia is not legal in Malta and assisted suicide is a crime punishable by up to 12 years in prison.

However, Asciak underlined the importance of human autonomy when deciding on health care. Every patient has a right to refuse treatment, he said, adding that he is against euthanasia because this would go against the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence, which require doctors to protect the welfare of their patients.

Euthanasia remains a divisive issue, however other guests who appeared on Azzopardis talkshow agreed on the need for a mature discussion on the sensitive matter.

TV personality Josef Bonello said that death and suffering remain taboo subjects but stressed on the need to look at death as a natural and unavoidable part of life.

He explained that he is in favour of allowing people to opt for euthanasia as long as they are in a sound state of mind because, according to him, suffering should not be glorified or sanctified.

Bonello added that he has seen people close to him, including his mother, go through immense suffering, and this made him to ask why are they still alive? He added that this situation brought him to the realisation that people with terminal illness should be given the opportunity to choose for themselves whether they wanted to end their life.

Its a question of dignity, he said, adding that euthanasia is a very personal issue and should not be turned into a partisan political one.

Operations Director at Sedqa Jesmond Schembri agreed that dignity is central in the euthanasia debate, adding that dignity is very subjective and euthanasia should be seen in the context of lifes continuum.

While positioning himself against euthanasia, Schembri said this was consistent with his beliefs that life should be protected at all stages, from conception onwards and explained that for this reason he opposes abortion and the death penalty.

He explained that quality of life deteriorates with age and therefore clear parameters should be set for when and how euthanasia can be put into action. However, he warned that such parameters were prone to abuse, as the experience in various countries has shown.

Lovin Malta deputy editor Jonathan Cilia called for a discussion on the legal, ethical, and experience process for someone to get assisted suicide in Malta.

While arguing that life in beautiful, Cilia noted that people suffering from terminal illness should be given an opportunity to choose assisted dying. However he said the state of mind and the body play a very important role and people should be stable and understand what position they are in in the present and the future.

Watch full discussion below

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Euthanasia: Doctor calls for introduction of living will - Newsbook

There is an endlessly repeated witticism by the poet Anatole France that the law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. What France certainly did not foresee is that an entire country and an ostentatiously progressive one at that has decided to take his sarcasm at face value and to its natural conclusion.

Since last year, Canadian law, in all its majesty, has allowed both the rich as well as the poor to kill themselves if they are too poor to continue living with dignity. In fact, the ever-generous Canadian state will even pay for their deaths. What it will not do is spend money to allow them to live instead of killing themselves.

As with most slippery slopes, it all began with a strongly worded denial that it exists. In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada reversed 22 years of its own jurisprudence by striking down the countrys ban on assisted suicide as unconstitutional, blithely dismissingfears that the ruling would initiate a descent down a slippery slope into homicide against the vulnerable as founded on anecdotal examples. The next year, Parliament duly enacted legislationallowing euthanasia, but only for those who suffer from a terminal illness whose natural death was reasonably foreseeable.

It only took five years for the proverbial slope to come into view, when the Canadian parliament enacted Bill C-7, a sweeping euthanasia law which repealed the reasonably foreseeable requirement and the requirement that the condition should be terminal. Now, as long as someone is suffering from an illness or disability which cannot be relieved under conditions that you consider acceptable, they can take advantage of what is now known euphemistically as medical assistance in dying (MAID for short) for free.

Soon enough, Canadians from across the country discovered that although they would otherwise prefer to live, they were too poor to improve their conditions to a degree which was acceptable.

Not coincidentally, Canada has some of the lowestsocial care spending of any industrialised country, palliative care is only accessible to a minority, and waiting times in the public healthcare sector can be unbearable, to the point where the same Supreme Court which legalised euthanasiadeclared those waiting times to be a violation of the right to life back in 2005.

Many in the healthcare sector came to the same conclusion. Even before Bill C-7 was enacted, reports of abuse were rife. A man with a neurodegenerative disease testified to Parliament that nurses and a medical ethicist at a hospital tried to coerce him into killing himself by threatening to bankrupt him with extra costs or by kicking him out of the hospital, and by withholding water from him for 20 days. Virtually every disability rights group in the country opposed the new law. To no effect: for once, the government found it convenient to ignore these otherwise impeccably progressive groups.

Since then, things have only gotten worse. A woman in Ontario was forced into euthanasia because her housing benefits did not allow her to get betterhousing which didnt aggravate her crippling allergies. Another disabled woman applied to die because she simply cannot afford to keep on living. Another sought euthanasia becauseCovid-related debt left her unable to pay for the treatment which kept her chronic pain bearable under the present government, disabled Canadians got $600in additional financial assistance during Covid; university students got $5,000.

When the family of a 35-year-old disabled man who resorted to euthanasia arrived at the care home where he lived, they encountered urine on the floor spots where there was feces on the floor spots where your feet were just sticking. Like, if you stood at his bedside and when you went to walk away, your foot was literally stuck. According to the Canadian government, the assisted suicide law is about prioritis[ing] the individual autonomy of Canadians; one may wonder how much autonomy a disabled man lying in his own filth had in weighing death over life.

Despite the Canadian governments insistence that assisted suicide is all about individual autonomy, it has also kept an eye on its fiscal advantages. Even before Bill C-7 entered into force, the countrys Parliamentary Budget Officer published a reportabout the cost savings it would create: whereas the old MAID regime saved $86.9 million per year a net cost reduction, in the sterile words of the report Bill C-7 would create additional net savings of $62 million per year. Healthcare, particular for those suffering from chronic conditions, is expensive; but assisted suicide only costs the taxpayer $2,327 per case. And, of course, those who have to rely wholly on government-provided Medicare pose a far greater burden on the exchequer than those who have savings or private insurance.

And yet Canadas lavishly subsidisedmedia, with some honourable exceptions, has expressed remarkably little curiosity about the open social murder of citizens in one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Perhaps, like many doctors, journalists are afraid of being accused of being unprogressive for questioning the new culture of death, a fatal accusation in polite circles. Canadas public broadcaster, which in 2020 reassured Canadians that there was no link between poverty, choosing medically assisted death, has had little to say about any of the subsequent developments.

Next year, the floodgates will open even further when those suffering from mental illness another disproportionately poor group become eligible for assisted suicide, although enthusiastic doctors and nurses have already pre-emptedthe law. There is already talkof allowing mature minors access to euthanasia too just think of the lifetime savings. But remember, slippery slopes are always a fallacy.

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Why is Canada euthanising the poor? - The Spectator

Death is a subject I dont like to linger on I suppose few do, unless by necessity. However, I believe it is good to consider the nature of life and death while we have breath in our lungs.

My own forced reckoning came shortly after I graduated high school 17 years ago, when four of my fellow graduates, and friends, died in quick succession.

Those deaths bombarded me. Youth and naivete offered no protection.

When sorrows come, Shakespeare wrote, they come not single spies but in battalions. Battered, I oscillated between two errors in thinking about death.

My first error was to run from the thought, to put anything else in my mind other than the truth that I would one day die.

There is a saying, popular as recently as a few years ago. You Only Live Once, more commonly known as YOLO. One would normally hear it exclaimed by someone before or in the middle of doing something dangerously risky.

It was used as a defense when told by others that what they are doing is unsafe, or that their actions could have severe consequences on their bodies, as well as the well-being of friends and family, later in life.

The idea is simple: since we live only once, why not live in the moment? That kind of thinking feeds nicely into any lack of commitment to anything that would hinder someone from being completely spontaneous, such as marriage, careers, savings accounts and 401ks, etc.

Earlier generations had another saying, more sophisticated,but materially the same, carpe diem: seize the day.

These statements reveal a sense of hopelessness, not simply because they treat death as cavalier, shunning duty and embracing immediate gratification, but also (and more importantly I believe) because those who are constantly in search of the next best thing to entertain them, to make them happy, will inevitably be unfulfilled with what they found and will invariably go in search of the next until one day there is no next.

Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Right?

Wrong. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2).

Its better to linger at funerals than at bars because funerals remind us that our lives have immense value: they should be cherished, not thrown away needlessly in reckless living.

My second error came as an overcorrection of the first. I thought about death far too often, namely, in wanting to die on my terms, or to die for a good and righteous cause either fighting in a just war against evil or on a mission field far away, doing something bold. If death is inevitable, then I should meet it on my own terms.

While not obvious at first, this idea spurs another discussion also prevalent in our age. Look closely, and youll recognize it in discussions related to euthanasia. Greek for good death, euthanasia is all about one thing: dying in a way one would prefer at least, under the circumstances.

Increasingly popular in the United States, euthanasia is enjoying legal protection under the guise of so-called dying with dignity laws.

Such an intense focus on when we die, controlling the circumstances of our death, and making death easier, detracts from our thinking of the deeper matters of death, especially on the matter of life after death.

Roman citizens were concerned with similar thoughts on death. In 410 A.D., Alaric the Visigoth sacked Rome. Roman citizens, hearing the brutality with which the Visigoths dispatched their victims, did not want to die in such ways.

Augustine reminded his readers in his masterpiece, City of God, that death is the same, no matter if it is brought about after a long life of peace, or in wartime.

His words are a reminder today.

They [] who are destined to die, need not be careful to inquire what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them.

Since death is inevitable, our thoughts should not be so concerned with the way we will die, rather, we should direct our thoughts and actions to the life hereafter, and how our lives will echo after we are gone.

Those overly concerned with the way they will die neglect to cast the proper attention due to the eternal consequence of the lives they live.

Scripture is replete with people who rejoice even amidst suffering and heartache. We do this because we follow Christ, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). Knowing where death leads reframes our thinking and discussions on our mortality.

Death, then, remains serious as it should be; and we can still have joy in this life, knowing we will one day die. Because as Christians, we know where death will usher us into.

I dont remember why, but the only funeral of the four I attended was my friend J.J.s.

His death, we all thought, was the most tragic: he left a wife, a young child, and a career to support them. Though tragic in the worlds eyes, the pastor who delivered the eulogy would not let us remember him that way. A tragedy becomes one by how it ends. If this life is all there is, then J.J.s death was tragic.

But we know that all things, including death itself, were conquered in Christ, who died and rose again. J.J. was a man whose actions moved in concert with his public profession of faith. Therefore his death, though still heart-breaking for us, ushered him into the very presence of God, free from all sin and suffering.

And that is no tragedy.

Joseph Hamrick is a semi-professional writer and sometimes thinker. He lives in Commerce and serves as a deacon at Commerce Community Church C3).

He can be reached atjhamrick777@gmail.com

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SOMETHING TO CONSIDER: We live, die only once! - Herald-Banner

The judgment of Kerala High Court quashing a criminal case registered against a village officer for attempting suicide has brought to the fore again the need for decriminalising the offence under Section 309 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The court while passing the verdict observed that decriminalisation of attempt to suicide is the general view of courts and legal luminaries. Criminal prosecution followed by conviction and imposing substantive sentences and fine on those convicted of suicidal behaviours are believed to constitute an affront to human dignity.

Justice K. Haripal (since retired) observed that suicidal behaviour was typically a symptom of psychiatric illness or an act of psychological distress, suggesting that the person requires assistance in his personal and psychological life, not punishment with imprisonment or fine.

The Judge said that medical circles also believed that it was not an offence against the State, but on the contrary, the State itself might be indirectly responsible for the plight of the victim who was left with no other alternative but to end his life. From a societal perspective, "decriminalization is a more sensitive and humane way of dealing with the problem compared to prosecution." What was important was to give sociological and psychological support to the victim rather than trying to punish him/her.

The Law Commission in 1971 and 2008 had recommended scrapping of Section 309. Besides, the Supreme Court in Common Cause v. Union of India and another case in 2018 had recommended Parliament consider decriminalising the offence, saying the provision had become anachronistic. It had made the observation while issuing guidelines with respect to passive euthanasia.

The court noted that Section 115(1) of the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 says that any person who attempts suicide shall be presumed, unless proved otherwise, to have severe stress and shall not be tried and punished under the code. The Act regards a person who attempts suicide as a victim of circumstances and not an offender. The Supreme Court has held that Section 115 which creates a presumption of severe stress has an impact on Section 309.

The petitioner said she attempted suicide under severe stress as she was allegedly abused and pressured by the president of Puthur grama panchayat in Thrissur and the president's henchmen to issue income certificates manually to their men against the office procedure of issuing them online.

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Decriminalise offence of attempt to suicide: HC - The Hindu

In celebration of Star Wars Day 2022, Alachua County Animal Resources and Care (AR&C) is hosting a May the Fourth adoption event. AR&C is lowering adoption fees to just four dollars next week (May 3, through May 7, 2022). The shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character, make crafts, eat snacks, and take home your chosen one.

In an animal shelter very, very close by, a chosen one will bring balance to the light. For good to triumph and balance to be restored, AR&C needs the communitys help. The shelter took in more animals than it could find homes for last year. To prevent the unwarranted euthanasia of healthy, adoptable shelter pets, staff have been working extra hard to find homes for all of them. Good progress was being made until the March intakes and lack of adoptions broke that winning streak. With puppies and kittens already starting to come in, the shelter needs to place upwards of 100 animals in loving homes to restore the balance (aka capacity for care).

We appreciate our employees continued dedication to the lost, homeless, abused, and abandoned animals of our community, said AR&C Director Ed Williams. Try as they might, an open admission, municipal shelter is no substitute for a forever home. And room must be made for the many new intakes arriving daily. Come on out and show us your love Gainesville. May the 4th be with you.

Pet adopters must be 18 years or older and show identification with proof of current address. If there are already pets in the home, potential adopters must show proof that owned animals are current on rabies and county licenses. All adoptable cats and dogs are vaccinated, microchipped, and sterilized before going home.

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Animal Resources and Care's May the Fourth Adoption Event - Alachua County

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas The national nonprofit Petco Love is partnering with People Assisting Animal Control to host their free vaccine event, Give Pets Their Best Shot.

Petco Love and PAAC plan to vaccinate 50 cats at this event on Friday, April 29 from 8:30 a.m to 1 p.m. at the clinic on 5804 Ayers Street.

The event will be first come first served and it will only be walk-in, no appointment is necessary.

Cheryl Martinez with the PAAC said this event is only for cats, but that they have a low-cost clinic that provides services at a low cost for all animals.

As the season for contagious and deadly diseases approaches for cats, PAAC aims to prevent any diseases.

Exposure to the diseases is preventable with a simple vaccine.

Vaccines distributed through the Petco Love initiative will be the HCP Feline vaccines. PAAC will provide free rabies shots to cats at this event.

Some of these vaccines are costly, and the Give Pets Their Best Shots event focuses on providing these vaccines for free to prevent diseases for those that are experiencing financial challenges.

Treatment for these deadly diseases can be prohibitively expensive for many pet parents, Susanne Kogut, Petco Love President, stated in a release.

Petco Love encourages pet parents to keep their furry friends up to date on vaccinations.

Kogut said, By providing free vaccines to those in need, we can help these pets live a healthy life."

The two nonprofits work together to keep pets and their families together and healthy.

'Through this national effort and our other Petco Love Care initiatives, we continue our 22-year history of strategic investments and innovation to end unnecessary pet euthanasia, Kogut added.

On Saturday, April 30 PAAC will also host a free food event. They will provide customers with free pet food from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. while supplies last.

Courtesy of PAAC Free pet food

For more information about PAACS vaccine event, click here or call/text (361) 248-2009.

Learn more about Petco Loves national vaccine effort and lifesaving impact at petcolove.org or freepetvaccines.org.

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Petco Love partnering with PAAC to host the Give Pets Their Best Shot event - KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi

A familys beloved Husky lies dead in a black bag in their freezer, surrounded by milk and sausages, after the council euthanised the animal.

The dog was the subject of a year-long protracted court battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, which rejected the familys Hail Mary appeal.

Alexandra Johnston/Supplied

Husky dog Aspen was euthanised by Auckland Council after owner Alexandra Johnston went to court in a bid to save the dog.

The dog, Aspen, was ordered euthanised by the council after it killed a chicken and a guinea pig when it escaped from its owner on a walk in May 2019 in Aucklands Torbay.

Owner Alexandra Johnston is struggling to say goodbye to Aspen and has kept him in her chest freezer since he was returned on Saturday.

Aspen was re-homed and became her sons pet in 2017. The dog was five years old when he was euthanised.

RICKY WILSON/Stuff

Alexandra Johnston with a picture of her late dog Aspen.

I dont know what to do with him, she told Stuff through tears.

READ MORE:* Supreme Court rejects Auckland woman's appeal to save chicken-killing husky* Auckland woman takes fight to save chicken-killing husky to Court of Appeal* Owners lose High Court appeal to save husky that killed chicken and guinea pig

Johnston said Aspen was returned on Saturday in a zip-tied black rubbish bag. A note with Aspens name and hand-drawn love hearts was attached.

The North Shore resident was shocked to see her beloved dog dead in the black bag.

Cian Johnston/Supplied

Aspen, the Johnstons beloved pet husky, was destroyed following a court order.

I dont know what I expected, I thought he would be lying there on a blanket.

You killed my dog and youre sending me hearts? she asked.

Johnston hadnt seen Aspen for over a year while he was impounded in Silverdale Animal Shelter and now was struggling to part with him.

Alexandra Johnston/Supplied

Aspen with his owner Cian Johnston.

I think hes going to stay in my freezer for a long time, she said.

Auckland Councis James Hassall said the black freezer bag was standard practice following euthanasia, because Aspen was stored in a freezer.

Dogs are only returned to their owners following euthanasia when that is specifically requested.

As Aspen had been in our care for some time. Naturally, the shelter staff who cared for him had formed an attachment with the dog and wanted to send their condolences to the family, he said.

RICKY WILSON/Stuff

Alexandra Johnston with son Cian and a photo of the husky Aspen.

Johnson tried to save Aspen by fighting through the court system, but lost at every turn.

She represented herself after one law firm told her it would cost around $50,000 and they would certainly lose.

Section 57 of the Dog Control Act states if a dog attacks a person or an animal the court "must" order the dog be destroyed, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Alexandra Johnston/Stuff

Aspen loved going for walks along Torbays beaches.

Brent Tustin, an owner of the house where the guinea pig was killed, said the situation was sad.

Its a shame that this is the outcome, we would have preferred re-homing Aspen with an experienced dog handler, he said.

Johnston and her husband, Graham, were convicted last April of owning a dog that attacked two domestic animals.

They were ordered to pay $150 to the owners of the chicken and the owner of the guinea pig and were also fined $750.

Now the family is barred by the council from owning another dog until May 2023.

Johnston and her son were also trespassed from the Silverdale Animal Shelter after they became abusive towards staff when they werent allowed to visit Aspen.

The council doesnt let impounded dog owners visit their animals, for the health and safety of our staff, but also because it can cause confusion and distress for the animal.

While we understand that this can be upsetting for the owners, the decision is made with the best interests of our staff and the dog in mind, Elly Waitoa, manager animal management at Auckland Council, said.

While we understand that this has been a distressing time for Aspens family and our thoughts are with them, equally we must protect our staff from this type of behaviour, a spokeswoman said.

In the application to the Supreme Court, Johnston and her husband said they wanted a number of questions answered in regard to section 57 of the Dog Act.

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Aspen, the husky who killed a chicken and guinea pig, euthanised after year-long court battle - Stuff