Category Archives: Euthanasia

France: A bill to legalise euthanasia was smothered by delaying tactics in the French Parliament this week.

The bill was a personal initiative of Olivier Falorni, a deputy for the parliamentary splinter group Libertes et Territoires ("Freedom and Territories"). He says that the law would put a stop to a national "hypocrisy" because French residents often travelled to Belgium or Switzerland for assisted suicide. He claims that French doctors are already performing 2,000 to 4,000 euthanasia every year but secretly.

The bills opponents filed about 3,000 amendments ahead of the debate which slowed down proceedings and made a vote in the allotted time impossible.

If it had passed, France would have become the fifth European Union country to permit euthanasia after the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain. (Switzerland allows assisted suicide, but not euthanasia.)

Neither President Emanuel Macron nor his government have taken sides, although the president said in 2017: "I myself wish to choose the end of my life".

The Minister of Health, Olivier Vran, said he was not convinced that France should have a large-scale debate during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Latvia. On March 25, after a long debate, the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) rejected a public petition which had called for the legalisation of euthanasia. A total of 49 members voted for rejection, 38 voted against, and two abstained.

Opponents emphasised that Latvia needed to get its palliative care system in order first, before considering right-to-die initiatives. Deputy Vitlijs Orlovs, who is a doctor, declared in the debate: I was taught to fight for patients lives to the end. I cannot imagine injecting a person with some substance to help them die not for any amount of money.

Supporters stressed a need to do away with end-of-life misery. People think this will open a can of worms, said Pteris Buks, the author of the petition, but Holland has 17 million inhabitants and 6,000 euthanasia cases. This means that in Latvia these could be about 600 cases. We have ten times fewer people.

Hat tip to Alex Schadenberg.

Michael Cook is editor of BioEdge

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'Dignity in dying' legislation fails in France and Latvia - BioEdge

Kokomo Humane Society announced today a $50,000 grant investment from the newly-named Petco Love to support their lifesaving work for animals in Kokomo.

Petco Love is a nonprofit leading change for pets nationally by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, it has empowered organizations with nearly $300 million invested to date in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And, theyve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations, like the Kokomo Humane Society, nationwide.

Today Petco Love announces an investment in Kokomo Humane Society and hundreds of other organizations as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessary euthanized, said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. Our local investments are only one component. This month, we will also launch the first of our national tools to empower all animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us.

Karen Wolfe, executive director of the humane society, said the grant is important to the shelter as it enables them to continue to develop existing programs as well as grow new o

Petco Loves support means so much to our organization. They have had confidence in us from the beginning of our transformation. Petco Love helped us over several years, move from a 37 percent to 93 percent save rate. They were also a major factor in helping us build our new humane society. Knowing that Petco Love believed in us has made me feel like we could truly reach our lifesaving goals," said Wolfe.

Since 2010 euthanasia has dropped over 56 percent, saving 94 percent of the animals taken in. The practice of using euthanasia for reasons of space no longer exists, said Wolfe, and hundreds of sick and injured animals that previously would not have been saved are now given extensive medical treatment.

"Enriching the time animals spend at the shelter is a priority as is finding each animal a forever home," said Wolfe. "Moving to the new facility at 729 E. Hoffer has made it possible to pursue Kokomo Humanes mission: Improving the lives of animals, preventing cruelty through education, uniting pets with families."

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Newly-named Petco Love Invests in humane society - Kokomo Perspective

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By JOE CIESZINSKI

Parallels are painfully obvious to anyone from a Judeo-Christian background. The time, place, controlled secrecy and, yes, the money.

As Christians around the world recall the incredibly painful passion and crucifixion of Christ during Easter season, we see commonalities with our political situation in New Mexico.

The crucifixion of Jesus and the crucifixion of New Mexico. The Jewish capital of Jerusalem/the New Mexican capital of Santa Fe, City of Holy Faith. The secret overnight trial of Jesus/the gated community closed legislative sessions.

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Roman solders and Jewish leaders conspired then, many legislators now. The 40 pieces of silver paid to Judas and hundreds of thousands sunk into the campaign of Lujan Grisham by pro-abortion/pro-euthanasia/pro-recreational pot.

These people do not want what is best for New Mexico, they want what is best for their bank account. Selling out/betrayal 2,000 years ago and today.

Many know the passage from John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, which remarkably resembles MLG.

Michelle Lujan Grisham has:

1. Stolen. She has stolen prosperity from New Mexico by getting rid of clean coal, and sabotaging our oil and gas business, a huge part of the New Mexico economy. The way she handled COVID has permanently shut down many restaurants and other small businesses. The legislative sessions security, including the fence around the Roundhouse, cost NM from $700,000 to $1,000,000. MLG charged New Mexico over $11,000 for food catered/delivered to her. She was sorry she got caught, but not that she stole from New Mexico.

2. Killed. Under the MLG reign, the most hostile abortion and euthanasia bills in the country were passed by this legislature.

3. Destroyed. New Mexico has been trashed economically and morally during the MLG reign. The marijuana bill will destroy the future of many youth and others, and make poorly performing New Mexico schools worse. It will bring in more gangs and drugs. It will prey upon the poor and hurt families, workers and hospitals. It will cause more crashes on New Mexico highways. It will not help the economy, but hurt it. A report by Colorado Christian Universitys Centennial Institute said that, for every tax dollar generated by legal marijuana sales, costs to the state of marijuana are over $4.50. People in the real world cannot perform well at real jobs or in real schools if they are out of their real minds. Social costs now always translate into financial costs later.

Michelle Lujan Grisham has betrayed us. She has exchanged the best interests of New Mexico for money and power, kind of like Judas.

During this sacred time of year, we are reminded of the second half of John 10:10. Here Jesus said, but I have come that they might have life to the fullest. Through Jesus, God has invited us into his family as adopted children. God has a great plan for New Mexico, a plan of safety, fruitfulness, prosperity, well-being, healthy persons, families, schools and businesses. The Lord invites us to partner with him to make New Mexico beautiful in every way.

Another generous offer of the Lord to us is, I place before you life and death, a blessing and a curse, choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). Fellow New Mexicans, let us choose life.

It is appropriate during this Easter season to remind us of the promise of Jesus at the very end of the gospel of Matthew: Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of time. He is risen!!!

Joe Cieszinski lives in Santa Fe.

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Observe the crucifixion of New Mexico - Albuquerque Journal

For San Diego Humane Society, the word zero represents a great accomplishment not just for the organization, but for the entire county. Zero represents the number of healthy or treatable animals who are in danger of being euthanized in San Diego County animal shelters. SDHS partnered with seven other shelters in the San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition to achieve this goal in 2015, making San Diego the largest city in the country to reach this milestone. Were committed to Staying at Zero, said Gary Weitzman, SDHS president and CEO, and what that takes involves evolution every year. Weve seen that especially during the pandemic.

Even before COVID-19 struck last March, the work to ensure zero euthanasia of healthy or treatable shelter animals was immense. As an open-admission shelter, SDHS wont turn away any animal in need. They are one of the largest animal welfare agencies in the country, taking in in nearly 50,000 animals annually including those with serious medical and behavioral needs who would have nowhere else to turn. Saving their lives requires innovation, which is why the organization developed many of their signature programs.

At its San Diego Campus, SDHS operates the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine, providing medical care far beyond that found in traditional shelters. Its veterinary team led by one of only 28 veterinarians certified in shelter medicine by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners performs everything from trauma medicine to specialized surgeries. They repair fractured bones, perform advanced dental work and lead the country in developing new treatments for deadly diseases like parvo and distemper.

Across the street, youll find a state-of-the-art Behavior Center that provides a safe space and individualized training plans for some of the most challenging dogs and cats to enter San Diego County shelters. Its one of just a few facilities of its kind in the country, and it enables SDHS to save hundreds of animals each year.

With the onset of the pandemic, operations for animal shelters became more complex. SDHS pivoted to continue saving animals while meeting the increased needs of pet families. We had to figure out how to adopt pets online, how to care for animals while staying six feet apart, and how to be there for more people who needed us, says Weitzman. One of the ways we Stay at Zero is by keeping pets with the families that love them. During COVID, thats meant doing even more for our community, like distributing 2 million pet meals, offering medical services, and providing behavior support.

By providing more resources for pet families in need, SDHS ensures the pandemic doesnt mean people face the heartbreaking decision to relinquish their animals.

To learn more about SDHS or make a donation to support their work, visit sdhumane.org.

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What it takes to stay at zero - Coast News

The parliamentary committee Liberties and Territories was only yesterday to deliver a speech promoted by Deputy Oliver Florni, an initiative to divide the political forces in Palacio de Bourbon.

In a debate that passed at midnight, legislator Guillo Chiche amended Article 1, which was dedicated to active medical assistance to death, by 48 votes to 240.

Five delegates from the Los Republican Party (traditional right) introduced more than two thousand of the three thousand amendments in the chamber, which no doubt made it impossible to carry out a project.

According to this plan, any person of legal ability and legal age can decide to end his or her life if a serious and incurable disease occurs which is considered unbearable and there is no real way to alleviate it.

According to Florini, this initiative reflects the high personal liberty of the French, a criterion with many opponents in the National Assembly, with arguments ranging from philosophy to ethics and to man.

Florni and other defenders of the text denounced Palacio de Bourbon as an interruption.

The government has recently estimated that this is not the time for a debate on euthanasia, given that the fight against the Covit-19 epidemic, which has killed nearly 100,000 people in France over the past 13 months, is a priority.

In addition to the project in question, some others sought to overturn the Glaze-Leonetti Act of 2016, which recognizes deep and continuous anesthesia for certain diseases.

mem / wmr

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The euthanasia bill sinks in the French National Assembly - Brenza Latin - Broadway.me

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Voluntary assisted dying legislation in South Australia has passed another legislative hurdle, with the Upper House last night waving the controversial bill through its second reading with a final vote set for May.

The euthanasia legislation, sponsored by Labor MLC Kyam Maher and Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Close, is modelled on a similar bill passed in Victoria in 2017.

It includes 68 safeguards and a provision that someone applying to end their life early due to terminal illness must have been a resident in SA for at least 12 months.

It is South Australia 17th attempt in 25 years to pass voluntary euthanasia laws.

Last nights vote means the legislation will now go to the committee review stage before a final conscience vote is scheduled to take place in the Upper House on May 5.

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In an emotional sitting of the Legislative Council, politicians from both sides of aisle expressed differing and deeply held personal views on the matter informed by previous life experiences.

Maher sought to ease concerns of those opposed to the legislation that the new laws could lead to coercion or misuse.

Nothing in this bill will make anyone do anything, Maher told the Upper House.

It will not force any terminally ill patient to avail themselves to a scheme of assisted dying. It will not force any health practitioner to participate in a scheme if their conscience doesnt allow them to.

But making a decision against this bill certainly will actively stop people who wish to avail themselves to a voluntary assisted dying scheme in those last months of a terminal illness.

Treasurer Rob Lucas, who has opposed euthanasia legislation since the 1980s, said his views were a minority in the Upper House.

I know that in this particular chamber, whilst the view that I held years ago was the majority view in the chamber on euthanasia, it is very much a minority view at this particular time, Lucas said.

But I can not, will not, and dont have to subscribe to the view that because of a poll says the majority people say I should vote a particular way that thats the way that I should vote on that particular issue.

Tasmania passed voluntary assisted dying laws through both houses of their state parliament last week, following Victoria and Western Australia as the third state to legalise euthanasia.

Media diversity is under threat in Australia nowhere more so than in South Australia. The state needs more than one voice to guide it forward and you can help with a donation of any size to InDaily. Your contribution goes directly to helping our journalists uncover the facts. Please click below to donate to InDaily.

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Euthanasia bill passes another hurdle in Parliament - InDaily

Kalista was 19 years and 10 months old. Before her death, she was one of the oldest living tigers in the U.S.

ST. LOUIS Kalista the Amur tiger, known for giving birth to a rare litter of five cubs and delighting zoo visitors for years passed away at the age of 19, the Saint Louis Zoo announced Friday.

It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news, the zoo wrote in a news release.

Kalista was 19 years and 10 months old. Before her death on March 27, she was the oldest living female Amur tiger in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) North American Species Survival Plan Program (SSP).

The zoo said she had been undergoing treatment for age-related degenerate joint disease for several years.

When medical treatment was not sufficient to keep her comfortable and pain free, our Animal Care and Veterinary teams jointly decided that euthanasia was the most humane option, the zoo said.

Kalista was born at the Philadelphia Zoo in 2001. Shes been greeting Saint Louis Zoo visitors since 2003.

In 2008, Kalista became a mother for the first time, and in dramatic fashion. She gave birth to a rare, large litter of five cubs. An average litter for Amur tigers is two or three.

Kalista was an amazing mother tigress and a very special cat, according to the animal care team.

Zoo officials said they will especially miss her affectionate nature.

"Kalista was a very social and energetic tiger, said Steve Bircher, the Kevin Beckman curator of carnivores at the zoo. She enjoyed interacting and training with the keepers and greeted everyone with a 'chuff,' which is a tiger-specific vocalization showing affection. We will all miss her.

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Saint Louis Zoo tiger that gave birth to litter of 5 cubs passes away - KSDK.com

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

Palliative care specialists fear health practitioners with as little as six hours online training could end up providing euthanasia for patients who would have wanted to live if they had proper care and pain relief.

Their concerns come as a new Ministry of Health survey reveals fewer than a third of health practitioners are prepared to participate in the assisted dying regime.

Palliative care specialists say that might mean euthanasia is unavailable in some areas and a small band of itinerant doctors with no connection to their patients may do the bulk of the cases.

READ MORE:* Med students become more opposed to euthanasia while at uni* Euthanasia referendum: End of Life Choice Act 'yes' vote creates 'complex' situation for doctors* Underpaid, underfunded, invisible: Palliative care in crisis* Euthanasia referendum: What do doctors think about assisted dying?

123RF

Palliative care specialists fear health practitioners with as little as six hours online training could end up providing euthanasia for patients who would have wanted to live if they had proper care and pain relief.

Palliative Care professor Rod MacLeod said nearly every week that he spent working in hospice care he was approached by someone who wanted to end their life - but during his 32-year career all but one of those people changed their minds.

"I've had lots and lots of people ask me for assisted dying. But with palliative care provided those requests melt away."

He said that meant that under the euthanasia regime people who would have changed their minds could be put to death.

Palliative care specialists say most people skilled in end of life care don't want to be involved in euthanasia.

Dr Catherine D'Souza, a senior member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine, said that will leave patients in the hands of people who are not experts in end of life care and pain management

"I'd just feel incredibly sad if somebody wanted to end their life because of pain when they hadn't had the chance to let a specialist have a go at trying to get it better under control."

The End of Life Choice Act takes effect on November 7, after gaining more than 65 per cent support in last year's referendum.

But a Ministry of Health survey of nearly 2000 health practitioners shows that, while almost half supported assisted dying in principle, fewer than 30 per cent were "possibly or definitely" willing to provide the service.

Dom Thomas/RNZ

Health Minister Andrew Little said he had expected the number of practitioners willing to provide assisted dying to be even lower and while he was cautious about how robust the survey was, it gave him confidence.

Health Minister Andrew Little said he had expected that number to be even lower and while he was cautious about how robust the survey was, it gave him confidence.

"Even at that number, that leaves me satisfied that there will be enough health practitioners who will be able to assist those who elect to choose assisted dying under the legislation."

Associate professor Leeroy William, a Melbourne-based palliative specialist, said before Victoria introduced euthanasia in 2019, surveys on health practitioner participation looked strong.

But when it came down to it most doctors did not want to do it.

"What we've found is that you've had a small number of doctors who are actually doing this, and they've probably done the majority of it."

Nearly 20,000 New Zealanders receive hospice care each year but Mary Schumacher, chief executive of Hospice New Zealand, said most of the country's 33 hospices were refusing to be involved in euthanasia.

"We know that some of our clinicians have said that they would rather leave the profession than being involved in any way with assisted dying. It is so contrary to who they are."

Patients wanting euthanasia must be over 18, have a terminal illness likely to end their life within six months, be experiencing unbearable suffering and have the capacity to make an informed decision about it.

The Ministry of Health said doctors have to encourage patients to talk to their family about their decision but under the law they did not have to discuss it with anyone.

Karen Brown/RNZ

Chairperson of the Combined Medical Staff Executive group, Curtis Walker.

Chairman of the Medical Council Curtis Walker confirmed health practitioners weren't required to have specialist skills to provide euthanasia.

"Any registered doctor and nurse practitioner with an up-to-date, annual practising certificate is counted as a medical practitioner under this act."

However, Dr Curtis stressed that doctors must also be competent in any care they provide.

"Doctors will need to be competent in the communication around this, competent in the legislation requirements around this and competent in the actions of actually giving the end of life medications to the patient."

D'Souza fears New Zealand will follow Australia in requiring only a brief course for medical staff offering euthanasia.

"If it's going to be an online six-hour training course, like Victoria, I consider that woefully inadequate training for this."

The Ministry of Health can't yet say whether all district health boards (DHBs) will offer the service.

Lucia Bercinskas, policy analyst at the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, said that could mean inequality of access.

"For me, it's almost about healthcare by postcode. So we're introducing something else, it's not resourced, it won't be available nationally, there isn't a workforce to support it."

But Little said the government will make sure the service is available as widely as possible.

"The question is whether it is provided through the public service, or whether private practitioners will do it, even if supported by the public system, or funded by the public system," he said.

"I'm confident, from the advice I've received so far, that there's enough distribution to enable this to be available across New Zealand."

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Fears euthanasia training will just be online course - Stuff.co.nz

Palliative care specialists say most people skilled in end of life care don't want to be involved in euthanasia.

Dr Catherine D'Souza, a senior member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine, said that will leave patients in the hands of people who are not experts in end of life care and pain management

"I'd just feel incredibly sad if somebody wanted to end their life because of pain when they hadn't had the chance to let a specialist have a go at trying to get it better under control."

The End of Life Choice Act takes effect on 7 November, after gaining more than 65 percent support in last year's referendum.

But a Ministry of Health survey of nearly 2000 health practitioners shows that, while almost half supported assisted dying in principle, fewer than 30 percent were "possibly or definitely" willing to provide the service.

Health Minister Andrew Little said he had expected that number to be even lower and while he was cautious about how robust the survey was, it gave him confidence.

"Even at that number, that leaves me satisfied that there will be enough health practitioners who will be able to assist those who elect to choose assisted dying under the legislation."

Associate professor Leeroy William, a Melbourne-based palliative specialist, said before Victoria introduced euthanasia in 2019, surveys on health practitioner participation looked strong.

But when it came down to it most doctors did not want to do it.

"What we've found is that you've had a small number of doctors who are actually doing this, and they've probably done the majority of it."

Nearly 20,000 New Zealanders receive hospice care each year but Mary Schumacher, chief executive of Hospice New Zealand, said most of the country's 33 hospices were refusing to be involved in euthanasia.

"We know that some of our clinicians have said that they would rather leave the profession than being involved in any way with assisted dying. It is so contrary to who they are."

Patients wanting euthanasia must be over 18, have a terminal illness likely to end their life within six months, be experiencing unbearable suffering and have the capacity to make an informed decision about it.

The Ministry of Health said doctors have to encourage patients to talk to their family about their decision but under the law they did not have to discuss it with anyone.

Chairman of the Medical Council Curtis Walker confirmed health practitioners weren't required to have specialist skills to provide euthanasia.

"Any registered doctor and nurse practitioner with an up-to-date, annual practising certificate is counted as a medical practitioner under this act."

However Dr Curtis stressed that doctors must also be competent in any care they provide.

"Doctors will need to be competent in the communication around this, competent in the legislation requirements around this and competent in the actions of actually giving the end of life medications to the patient."

Catherine D'Souza fears New Zealand will follow Australia in requiring only a brief course for medical staff offering euthanasia.

"If it's going to be an online six hour training course, like Victoria, I consider that woefully inadequate training for this."

The Ministry of Health can't yet say whether all district health boards (DHBs) will offer the service.

Lucia Bercinskas, policy analyst at the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, said that could mean inequality of access.

"For me, it's almost about healthcare by postcode. So we're introducing something else, it's not resourced, it won't be available nationally, there isn't a workforce to support it."

But Andrew Little said the government will make sure the service is available as widely as possible.

"The question is whether it is provided through the public service, or whether private practitioners will do it, even if supported by the public system, or funded by the public system," he said.

"I'm confident, from the advice I've received so far, that there's enough distribution to enable this to be available across New Zealand."

RNZ

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Fears euthanasia training will just be an online course - Newshub

On Thursday, March 25after a long debate, the Saeima rejected the For Good Death initiative, which called for the legalization of euthanasia in the event of terminal diseases.

49 members voted in favor of rejection, 38 against, two abstained.

At the beginning of February, the public initiative portal Manabalss.lv collected the necessary 10,000 signatures on an initiative to legalize euthanasia in Latvia.

Previously, the citizens' initiative on euthanasia legalization was rejected by the Saeima Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Commission after an expert committee of four religious leaders and two health experts was heard.

On Thursday, several members saw such a public initiative as a call for help, which seeks to draw politicians' attention to the shortcomings in palliative care and anesthetics.

Saeima deputy Artuss Kaimi said that, in his view, euthanasia is at least seven or eight further development steps forward in the case of Latvia. He believes that a number of improvements have yet to be made to palliative care and diagnostic medicine, so that MPs can decide further on legalizing euthanasia.

A similar opinion was expressed by the parliamentarianIlmrs Drtis (Development/For!), explaining that such an initiative encourages politicians to think about the conditions under which severely ill people depart from life. He considered that such an initiative would contribute to development in palliative care, but he said that today we are not prepared to introduce an active euthanasia process, because we cannot provide adequate conditions for people who have come into such a situation.

Meanwhile, opposition MP Viktors Valainis (Union of Greens and Farmers) said euthanasia would be the easiest way for severely ill people to escape intolerable pain, yet it is absolutely unacceptable because it ignores a number of problems in palliative care. At the same time, the Member stated that he was prepared to do everything necessary to improve the medical sector in the country.

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Saeima rejects initiative on euthanasia legalization - Eng.Lsm.lv