Category Archives: Euthanasia

Animals are reportedly being kept in cages, crates, rolling cages and any containers available as permanent housing and are doubled, tripled and quadrupled in each.

Also, unaltered males and females are not being separated, which can lead to violent incidents. Our L.A. City shelters have become guilty of the same hoarding and animal cruelty that it is the duty of LAAS to prosecute.

Ironically, while this suffering is allowed in L.A. City animal shelters to assure No Kill, the University of California at Davis (UC Davis)one of the worlds foremost schools conducting animal experimentation and the resultant euthanasia of animals they have bred for that purposewas selected to distribute $50 million dollars to animal shelters across California to assure a No Kill state.

KORETZ FAR TOO LATE TO BE RELEVANT

Paul Koretz, who oversees the Department for the City Council, and now candidate for Controller, announced this week that he is almost ready to give his response on the horrific conditions and overcrowding in Los Angeles Animal Services shelters as they strive to keep every animal alive and meet Best Friends No Kill goalafter Best Friends admitted that this program cannot be sustained.

In fact, Dr. Kate Hurley of U.C. Davis. Koret School of Medicine, was designated to distribute the funding to the States animal shelters and LAAS received $200,000.

Koretz is undoubtedly going to offer more money as his solution, which will not resolvebut just better fund-- the issue of underlying mismanagement and employees not coming to work because they cant tolerate the conditions for the animals and inability to improve their lives under Interim General Manager Annette Ramirez.

It was reported in a comment at last weeks Commission meeting that one day no employee was there to open the West Valley shelter, but, fortunately, the volunteer coordinator came in on his day off to unlock the doors and let volunteers enter.

However, a further report indicated that none of the West Valley employees were there for the week and East Valley employees were temporarily transferred to keep the shelter functional. This is the result of gross mismanagement and low morale among very dedicated employees.

Koretz has had ten years to give his report and he has ignored all the problems that have been sizzling just under the surface that was held together by the experienced shelter personnel, many of whom have now left LAAS due to the out-of-control problems at the upper level of this department and lack of concern by the appointed Commission, the Mayor, and the Council.

Koretz began his destruction of LAAS immediately after appointing himself to oversee it by removing this law-enforcement Department from oversight by the Public Safety Committee of the Council and placing it under his control in the Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee, which he created and has headed for over ten years.

(See: GM Brenda Barnette's Decade at LA Animal Services

NO REVIEW OF LAAS AFTER BARNETTE

Until the recent Los Angeles Times reports, Koretzs PAW Committee only agendized items for LAAS since ex-GM Barnette retired have been approval of major donations by humane groups and the two administrative positions for his Citywide Cat Program.

However, his absence of interest also resulted in him not hearing Ramirez report to the Commission that at a playgroup, organized as a result of volunteer complaints of animals not getting time out of kennels, two dog fights broke out and a volunteer sustained a severe bite. Apparently the basic rules of assuring sufficient staff is present at these events where numerous animals are put together to play were unknown or ignored.

Koretz also changed the long-established Animal Welfare Trust Fund from use only to improve the conditions of the shelters to being able to be used for any purpose by the General Manager and has never called for an audit of the expenditures.

(See: Should a Grand Jury Investigate Allegations of Misconduct at L A Animal Services?)

It is disappointing that Councilman Marquese Harris-Dawson (also on the PAW committee) states that he was unaware of problems at LAAS, when he was informed early after his first election and vowed to call for an audit of South Los Angeles services, which would have led him to be aware of the greater problems in this department and affecting his constituents.

(See: Homeless Animals in South LA Not Forgotten by Councilman Harris-Dawson)

So, in order to save his campaign for Controller, during the last few weeks before the election, Koretz is suddenly going to come up with a way to increase staff at shelters and fix all the problems.

(See: LA Cannot Risk Having Animal Activist Paul Koretz as Controller?)

THE AFTERMATH OF LAAS VOLUNTEER COMPLAINTS

Of course, the shelters can use more staffing and management will always seek more money, but from what is shared by those close to the situation, it isnt just the numbers, but the fact that the employees say they are burned out under the current lack of organization and support. That is demonstrated by the fact that staff is not coming to work and employees are using the maximum COVID leave option, even though they could be tested and potentially return.

Even the most dedicated employees in an animal shelter cannot stand to see the overcrowding, refusal to euthanize animals that are suffering emotionally, as well as physically, under long-term confinement and will never find a homeso that others can have space to be taken in and potentially be adopted.

Animals are doubled, tripled and quadrupled in cages. When any living creature (animal or human) is deprived of all free will and placed in a position where it must eat and sleep in constant fear of attack or being killed, the stress can turn into insanity. A visitor from one of the national organizations recently visited an LAAS shelter and said the conditions are like those in a third-world country.

The Mayor also assured a continuation of the downward spiral by appointing Annette Ramirezwho has not managed a shelter, and best known for her role in the controversial Small Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T) movie, which was made using City equipment and on City work hours to solicit funds for a private corporation involving the team members, and was not approved by the City Attorney at that time or since, although it is still offered for sale on-line. (See: Why is GM Barnette Protecting LA's Animal Services SMART Leaders?)

KENNETH MEJIA CANDIDATE FOR CONTROLLER SPEAKS OUT

Kenneth Mejia, who was far ahead of Koretz in the primary race for Controller, spoke at the last Commission meeting and said he is appalled at what he is hearing from volunteers and will be looking intonot only the conditions at the sheltersbut also how the money that is pouring into this Department is being spent! He vowed to audit the contracts that seem to be shams, and find out what is really going on with the money.

Yet, Koretz has not agendized even one Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee regarding the LAAS Department since Interim GM Annette Ramirez was appointed without public reviewother than to accept donations from large humane organizations and to assure the hiring of two administrative positions for the Citywide Cat Program.

(See: LA's Animal Dept Needs a Qualified New GM at the Reins)

THE HYPOCRISY OF NO KILL & GOV. NEWSOMS $50-MILLION GRANT

It appears LA Animal Services hasnt heard No Kill has failed nationwide in the light of reality and has left in its wake deaths, injuries, heartache and in many cases a commitment to buy a dog from a breeder, rather than risk a shelter dog.

Best Friends, which supposedly set the standard for No Kill, admitted publicly that it is not supportable in the real world.

(See: 'No Kill' Has Failed. 'Best Friends' Leaves LA City Animal Services Shelters)

EUTHANASIA A HUMANE CHOICE, ACCORDING TO U.C. DAVIS

CA Gavin Newsom was persuaded by someone to announce a $50 million proposal in the 2020-21 budget for statewide No Kill animal shelters, meaning at least 90% of the animals impounded in shelters are released alive (not necessarily adopted into homes).

See: Best Friends: CA Gov. Newsom's $50M Budget Proposal for No Kill was a campaign promise

BUT, the irony is that Governor Newsoms $50-million to assure CA becomes a No Kill state was given to Kate Hurley (Koret School of Medicine) at UC Davis. This is mind-boggling.

The University of California at Davis boasts of having one of the worlds leading animal-experimentation programs and is also the national expert in euthanasia (listing how to euthanize laboratory animals and others on its site)which it must perform on the animals after the experiments are completed. They consider it a peaceful ending.

This places euthanasia in an entirely new light.

Newsom was persuaded by someone to announce the $50 million proposal in the 2020-21 budget for statewide No Kill animal shelters, meaning at least 90% of the animals impounded are released alive (not necessarily adopted into homes). Although that someone is not named, it had to be a very powerful and influential group or individual.

See: Best Friends: CA Gov. Newsom's $50M Budget Proposal for No Kill was a campaign promise

ANIMAL SHELTER EUTHANASIA A NEW LOOK AT MERCY

It is important to understand that the same chemical solution that put humans and animals into a comatose state for surgery are those used to peacefully and humanely end a life of a shelter animal which has a future of suffering, endless confinement or causing injury or death to other animals or humans. Veterinary professionals in animal shelters have the obligation to make this decision to provide a peaceful end of life when advisable in their opinion.

Keeping animals in cages for months andyes, LAAS has far too many that have been there over well over a yearis cruelty. Keeping them with numerous other animals in one cage/kennel is torture.

See this video filmed in Los Angeles city shelters after the Hayden Bill was first enacted to understand the potential consequences of a true No Kill shelter

No Kill - the Hayden Bill (SB 1785) - YouTube

I AM NOT A PROPONENT OF MEDICAL RESEARCH OR HOARDING

Personally, I abhor the thought of animals being used for experimentation and applaud every effort to find other methods of developing medical treatments to save human (and animal) lives.

However, overly long stays in shelters can be an even more cruel living death for animals, and it must be the decision of the veterinary experts as to what is the humane thing, physically and emotionally, in each particular casenot a rescue or the shelter manager, who is focused on an arbitrary euthanasia statistic instead of the welfare of the animalsand definitely not a politician.

(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a contributor to CityWatch and a former Los Angeles City employee.)

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L.A. Animal Servicesa Ticking Time Bomb, and the Hypocrisy of No Kill - City Watch

Scampie, a one-year-old Jack Russell crossbreed, faced euthanasia this year when his family could no longer keep him.

After being refused help by the rescue that was originally responsible for him, Scampie was handed in to Paws and Whiskers Sussex.

He is currently living with the organisations behaviourist, Lucia Harvey, but requires permanent fostering in an adult-only, pet-free home where he can be given the attention and training he requires.

Lucia said: Scampie has been pulled around by five kids from a young age and has learned that the way to keep his space and his stuff is to bite.He is very loving outside the home and playful with other dogs, but cannot have toys or food of any kind if there is another dog in the house.

"It's not his fault and he's not a mean dog, just defensive."

Scampie has begun training in his foster home and wears a muzzle which must always be worn outside of the home.

In his new foster home, he must have access to his own space where he will not be disturbed, ideally behind a baby gate, as he does not tolerate a crate.

While Scampie is not the kind of dog that will cuddle with you on the sofa, PAWS said he is a sweet-natured, loving boy who deserves a home of his own with a family who will take the time to understand him.

Director Hannah Carter said: Scampie is a lovely dog 99 per cent of the time but needs the correct environment.

We believe his behaviour will improve without other dogs or children in the home, but if not, PAWS will provide full training.

Permanent fostering is a joint-ownership agreement between the carer and the rescue. Paws and Whiskers Sussex will cover the animals insurance and unexpected vet visits, while the foster carer is asked to cover the cost of food, annual health checks, flea and worm treatments, and any toys and bedding.

Scampie is currently in Eastbourne but can be fostered anywhere in Sussex as PAWS operates across the whole of the county.

To apply to become a permanent foster for Scampie, click here.

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Paws and Whiskers Sussex issues urgent foster appeal for dog it saved from euthanasia - SussexWorld

"We could learn so much from them," Bath Township wildlife rehab center founder says.

"We could learn so much from them," Bath Township wildlife rehab center founder Cheryl Connell-Marsh says.

Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal, Lansing State Journal

BATH TWP. Little tongues licked little noses as 15 frivolous fawns frolicked, nibbled on tall grass and sheltered in their Fawn Haven sanctuary.

It wasnt a Disney movie; the scene unfolded on Cheryl Connell-Marsh's property Tuesday afternoon where she released the animals shes fawned over the past couple months.

I love it because its what theyre supposed to be, she said. But now Im sad, right?

Connell-Marsh operates Nottingham Nature Nook, a licensed rehabilitation facility that handles mammals and non-federally regulated birds. It specializes in foxes and deer, euthanasia, and advice, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Connell-Marsh has been rescuing fawns and other wildlife since 2013. Every October she releases rescued fawns into the wild, as required by the DNR's Wildlife Conservation Order.

The early October release is important so the fawns have time to acclimate to the wild before winter, DNR Wildlife Division Permit Specialist Casey Reitz said in an email.

We want them to be able to learn (to) forage before food production begins to diminish," Reitz said. "Releasing them in the late fall lowers their chance of survival due of the lack of food resources available.

Does usually give birth and start raising their fawns in late May and early June, according to the DNR.

Fawns that arrive at the Bath Township center can bevery dehydrated and emaciated, have broken bones, and be in critical condition. Last year, Connell-Marshwas able to save and release 18 of 50 fawns she received.

She names the fawns, with monikers like Cinderella and Pongo.

Connell-Marsh was sure Cinderella and Pongo were among the several deer wandering the property as she released this year's group of fawns.

This year she named the deer after national parks, including Sequoia, Bryce (Bryce Canyon), Royale (Isle Royale) and Joshua (Joshua Tree). Yellowstone, in particular, stuck close to Connell-Marsh during the release, occasionally nibbling on the corner of her jacket.

Connell-Marsh described the fawns as her little flock of sheep, and they sounded like it, too, with soft bleats every now and again. Some were a little skittish, and chose to remain in the pen named Fawn Haven at first while others followed Connell-Marsh into a field, their ears and tails twitching.

She spends hours, all afternoon sometimes, with the deer on release day. She cant put food out for them after the release, per regulations, but they do often stick close by, bedding on her property.

Connell-Marsh saves all sorts of animals: foxes, songbirds, squirrels. But fawns are different.

They're just so kind and gentle, she said.

She wishes people could see the relationships that develop between the animals and hopes people understand why shes so involved in trying to prevent culls from happening in her area.

U.S. Department of Agriculture biologists trained in firearms have removed deer in East Lansing the past two yearsunder a DNR permit. The culling areaincluded the aquatic center and complex, less than a mile from Nottingham Nature Nook at 16848 Towar Ave.

East Lansing reduced the deer population, in part, because the city averages more than 40 deer-vehicle crashes per year within city limits and the deer population continues to grow. All venison from removals was donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, according to the city's website.

Connell-Marsh said if she were to tranquilize the fawns and move them somewhere else, it would be very hard on them. And, she asked, why should she?

This is it, this is nature guys, Connell-Marsh said. You dont get to pick and choose.

Contact Bryce Airgoodat 517-267-0448 or bairgood@lsj.com. Follow her onTwitter @bairgood123.

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Nottingham Nature Nook releases 15 fawns into the wild in Bath Township - Lansing State Journal

By Cole DeSantis, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent

PROVIDENCE Were swimming upstream trying to live the culture of life, and the evil one wants to isolate us, separate us, make us second guess ourselves in the value of what we are doing. But the power of love, when joined to the Cross of Christ, is tremendous, and we just have to keep doing what we are called to do.These were the words of columnist and Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich, parishioner Genevieve Kineke summarizing in her talk the general message of Bishop Thomas J. Tobins Human Life Guild Day.The annual event, at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul on Oct. 1, was a day for local Catholics to listen to scholars and clergy discuss various issues related to the pro-life movement, as well as to honor pro-life activists from throughout the diocese.The days events began at 9 a.m. with Holy Mass with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin as the principal celebrant.The bishop was assisted by several priests from throughout the diocese. The homily was delivered by Father Stephen Dandeneau, pastor of St. Eugenes parish in Chepachet who also serves as chaplain of the Human Life Guild. Father Dandeneaus homily focused on the intersection of the pro-life cause and the broader, spiritual elements of human life.As we begin this day, with all its ruminations on human life and working for justice, a most worthy and important reflection for each of us to begin with is the Kingdom of God, and the fact that were called to receive it as little children, Father Dandeneaus homily began.He went on to emphasize that any violation of human dignity is a violation of the image of God within us, which in turn is an offense against God, and the best way to bring the message of the dignity of all human life into the public realm is by living in close union with Christ and imitating Him.After Mass, Bishop Tobin honored several pro-life awardees, including two local youths, with the Human Life Guild Recognition Awards. Those honored were Andrew Morse of St. Pauls in Cranston; Mary Fountaine of St. Marys in Carolina; Christine Eiva of St. Pius X in Westerly; Shane Fagan, a junior at Bishop Hendricken High School and a parishioner of St. Philips in Greenville; and Monica Scimeca, a parishioner at St. Brendans in Riverside, who was nominated for her service as a student at St. Lukes school in Barrington.Theres a lot of good work in the pro-life movement going on everywhere, said Morse, and if everyone just helps out a little bit, it becomes something special, something magical, something holy.People want to help one another out, Morse continued. Theres a lot of love in the world, a lot of people who want to bring their unique talents, their special gifts, to helping other people, not just to survive, but to thrive in the world, and when they work together, it can do a lot of good.Morses biggest piece of advice for those interested in joining or supporting the pro-life movement is to get involved on a local level, helping people on a one-on-one level and getting involved in local initiatives, quoting the oft-repeated phrase all politics is local politics.The award ceremony was followed by brunch for those in attendance and a series of lectures in the cathedral hall on issues pertaining to the pro-life effort.The first presentation was offered by Dr. Peter J. Colosi, an associate professor of philosophy at Salve Regina University, who provided a summary of the traditional Catholic view on euthanasia.Colosi went on to note how an increased acceptance of euthanasia has led not only to a negligence of human dignity, but also to a radical change in how modern society views death. He contrasted the contemporary view of death, which sees death merely as the end of physical existence, which most people desire to be quick and painless, with the traditional Catholic view, which sees suffering as an opportunity to grow in holiness and virtue and death as a transition into eternity.Following Dr. Colosi was Genevieve Kineke, a local Catholic writer and public speaker. Kineke is also the author of many books on the nature of femininity and motherhood from the perspective of Catholic theology and philosophy, including The Authentic Catholic Woman, and has also published a critical edition of Pope St. John Paul IIs 1988 encyclical Mulieris Dignitatem, which concerns the nature of womanhood and the role of women. Kineke also publishes her work on her website, Feminine Genius.Her presentation centered on the nature of motherhood in the modern world. She began her lecture by meditating upon the ideological confusion that defines the modern era, which has undermined the traditional views on gender and motherhood. Kineke asserted that the true nature of femininity, and by extension motherhood, is built into the very nature of the human person as created by God, and the concept of motherhood reaches its fullest expression when examined in light of Gods Plan of salvation and the mission of the Church, which is symbolically described as a spiritual mother.The last speaker was Father Paul Desmarais, the pastor of St. Marys Church in Carolina.Father Desmarais lecture situated the pro-life movement within the framework of spiritual warfare, noting that one tool the devil uses to promote a culture of death was to tempt people to dehumanize their follow humans, and to demonize those who speak out in favor of the culture of life. The best way to counteract this, he said, is to affirm the reality of human dignity and to spread a message of love and repentance to those who have undergone abortion.I thought it was very inspiring, said Ann Marie Vale, a parishioner of St. Patricks in Providence, said of the presentations delivered during Human Life Guild Day.I believe it really helped to solidify my belief as a Catholic in the right to life, the gift of life, and how every moment, from the moment of our birth to natural death is precious.

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Human Life Guild Day celebrated with Mass, awards and words of wisdom - Rhode Island Newspaper

The word euthanasia comes from two Greek wordseu meaning good and thanatos meaning death. Euthanasia is defined as a merciful release from life in order to end suffering.

Like any responsible open-admission, socially conscious shelter, PETA provides a peaceful, painless release from life for animals who cannot be safely or humanely placed in a new home or who are sick, injured, dying, or otherwise suffering (physically or psychologically) and whose guardians often cant afford the service at a private veterinary practice.

At PETA, we will never turn our backs on animals in needand sometimes the most humane thing we can offer them is a peaceful release from a world that has betrayed them.

Every day, PETAs fieldworkers help abused and neglected dogsmany of whom are pit bulls kept outside 24/7 on chains heavy enough to tow an 18-wheeler. We provide them with food, clean water, lightweight tie-outs, parasite prevention and treatment, free spay or neuter surgeries, sturdy wooden doghouses stuffed with straw bedding, and much-needed affection.

What we see on a daily basis is enough to make you lose faith in humanity. The vast majority of the animals we take in were never treated as companions but instead spent their entire lives penned or chained up outside in all weather extremes. They were never socialized or allowed out of the small dirt circles to which they were confined, let alone allowed inside a home. They exist in perpetual fear and anxiety, struggling to cope with the daily challenge of surviving in inadequate living conditions. Others are indeed beloved companions who are elderly, ailing, injured, dying, aggressive, or otherwise unadoptable, and PETA provides them with a gentle release from suffering, always at no charge to their guardians. The adoptable animals we take in are placed through our adoption program or transferred to trusted local shelter partners.

So, how does euthanasia fit into PETAs work to alleviate suffering? One pit bull we gained custody of, namedAsia, looked like a skeleton covered with skin when PETA released her from the 15-pound chain that had weighed her down for years. She suffered from three painful and deadly intestinal obstructions, which prevented her from keeping any food down, and faced an agonizing, lingering death, so a veterinarian recommended euthanasia to end her suffering. We pursued criminal charges against those responsible for her condition, leading to their conviction for cruelty to animals. And that was just one of the dozens of sad cases that we see every month.

Almost all the animals we take in have been living in abysmal conditions, and we frequently work with local law-enforcement agencies to pursue charges against their abusers to prevent them from owning and harming animals again.

To combat suffering and animal homelessness, PETAs low- to no-cost spay-and-neuter mobile clinics have sterilized nearly 197,000 animals since 2001, preventing hundreds of thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens from being born, neglected, abandoned, abused, or euthanized. And on a national level, PETA focuses on the root of the problem through ourcelebrity spay/neuter and adoption campaigns and other efforts.

As long as companion animals are still bred on purpose and people arent spaying and neutering their dogs and cats, open-admission animal shelters and organizations like PETA will have to deal with the results in a caring and humane manner. PETA is proud to provide a safe haven for animals who have no other place to turnhere, they are welcomed with open arms.

Please, if you care about animals, help prevent more of them from being born, only to end up chained and left to waste away in someones backyard, suffering on the mean streets where people just kick them or shoo them away, tortured at the hands of animal abusers, or having to be euthanized to prevent them from coming to further harm. If you want to save lives,have your animals spayed or neutered, and when youre ready to welcome a new companion into your home,adopt, dont buy.

Originally posted here:

Why We Euthanize | PETA

While some pets die of old age in the comfort of their own home, many others become seriously ill, get injured in some way or experience a significantly diminished quality of life as they grow very old. In these situations, it may be necessary for you to consider having your pet euthanized in order to spare it from pain and suffering. Here are some suggestions for dealing with this difficult decision, as well as some information about the euthanasia procedure itself.

Talk to your veterinarian. He or she is the best-qualified person to help guide you through this difficult process. In some cases, your veterinarian may be able to tell you definitively that it is time to euthanize your pet, but in other cases, you may ultimately need to make the decision based on your observances of your pets behavior and attitude. Here are some signs that may indicate your pet is suffering or no longer enjoying a good quality of life:

Once you have made this very difficult decision, you will also need to decide how and where you and your family will say the final goodbye.

Making the decision to say goodbye to a beloved pet is stressful, and your anxiety can often be exacerbated if you do not know what to expect during the euthanasia procedure.

Your veterinarian can offer you a variety of options for your pets final resting place.

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Euthanasia: Making the Decision - American Humane

A Canadian armed forces veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury was offered medical assistance in dying by an employee of Veterans Affairs Canada.

The VAC released a statement last week admitting to an incident "where medical assistance in dying was discussed inappropriately" with the veteran. The department pledged that "appropriate administrative action will be taken" after the veteran expressed outrage at the suggestion, according to a report in Global News.

According to the report, the veteran called VAC seeking support for PTSD when the employee brought up medical assistance in dying, or euthanasia, unprompted. The veteran was reportedly shocked by the suggestion. His family told Global News that the soldier had been making positive progress in his physical and mental rehabilitation and that he felt betrayed by an agency that is tasked with assisting veterans.

ON PTSD AWARENESS DAY, IMPORTANT HELP FOR VETERANS, MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS IN SEARCH OF BETTER SLEEP

Canadian soldiers, joined by personnel from British, US, and Afghan forces, attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Forward Operating Base Masum Gar. (JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP via Getty Images)

The veteran's ordeal has since raised fears that the exchange may not have been an isolated incident, leading to questions about how often the agency has offered or discussed MAID with those suffering from PTSD.

The agency has since apologized to the veteran in follow-up call after the incident resulted in several complaints, with the VAC saying it "deeply regrets what transpired."

Canada legalized MAID in 2016, with 2021 amendments broadening eligibility for those requesting the procedure. People suffering from mental disorders will also be allowed access to MAID starting in 2023.

But discussing MAID with veterans is not within the scope of the VAC, an agency in charge of the care of a population already at higher risk of suicide.

Members of the Canadian Forces. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

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"Providing advice pertaining to medical assistance in dying is not a VAC service," the VAC said.

In 2017, the Canadian government introduced a new suicide-prevention strategy for military personnel and veterans which promised improved care and services. The plan also provided training to medical staff on how to respond to the warning signs of suicide.

Reached for comment by Fox News, a VAC spokesperson said "advice pertaining to Medical assistance in dying is not a VAC service."

"VACs Case Managers, Veteran Service Agents, and Veteran Service Team Managers have no mandate or role to recommend medical assistance in dying to Veteran clients," the spokesperson said. "Considerations for medical assistance in dying are the subject of discussions between a patient and their primary care providers to determine appropriateness in each individual context. It is covered through the provincial and territorial health authorities and is administered by a physician or nurse practitioner directly to the individual.

"We are investigating what occurred. We have not found any other similar incidents," the spokesperson continued. "This isolatedincidentis not indicativeof a pattern of behaviour or a systemic issue."

Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee

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Canadian soldier suffering with PTSD offered euthanasia by Veterans ...

Luna didn't have a permanent home, and the lovable pup's situation was growing dire, as the local social services department was beginning to threaten euthanasia if she couldnt find somewhere to live. She needed a loving caretaker, and soon.

Luckily, Lucie Holmes was on the way.

When social services contacted Lucie about Lunas situation, she immediately knew what she had to do. Lucie, who runs Lucies Animal Rescue in North Yorkshire, England, was confused when she noticed that Luna, an excitable 12-month-old German shepherd, seemed to be exhibiting signs of pregnancy.

Lucie took Luna to the vet, where a scan soon proved what she had suspected. Not only was Luna pregnant, but her puppies were due any day.

I think I had a panic attack, Lucie told The Dodo. I had nothing for puppies.

Lucie quickly prepared her home for the puppies arrival and made sure Luna had everything she needed to stay healthy through the end of her pregnancy.

Two weeks later, the puppies arrived. When Luna finally went into labor, Lucie and her family were shocked at how many babies shed been carrying.

We were expecting four, possibly five puppies, Lucie said. [We] could not believe it when she delivered 10! I stayed up with her all night, and she was amazing.

Though Luna is young, shes already proven to be such a good mom. She has no problem making sure all of her puppies have enough to eat, and still maintains a joyful spirit.

Once Lunas babies are old enough, all of them will be up for adoption through Lucies Animal Rescue. Luna will be looking for her forever home, too.

Lucie has great admiration for Luna, whos been through so much yet still manages to show such a unique love and kindness toward her caretakers and her new puppies.

Shes been incredible, Lucie said. Im so proud of her.

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Woman Rescues Dog From Euthanasia, Then Realizes She's Saving More Than One Life - The Dodo

Not only have we seen the passing of a universally admired and much-loved woman who, as Queen Elizabeth, dedicated her life to the service of her people. We are also witnessing the decline of reasoning, even rationality, and the self-evident truth of issues upon which these depend. In fact, the shadows are not just over my homeland of New Zealand but over other Western democracies including Canada, where, shockingly enough, the sixth-leading cause of death is euthanasia.

New Zealands own strongly pro-death ACT party leader David Seymour, who, like Jacinda Ardern, voted that aborted babies born alive should be denied medical help or care, assured New Zealanders that introducing assisted death into this country would not be the beginning of a slippery slope downwards. Really?

Unfortunate enough to be dominated by one of Western democracies most tyrannical and obnoxious prime ministers, Canadians have found the eligibility criteria for choosing assisted death inevitably broadened. Any adult with a serious disease or a mental health condition can now choose euthanasia, with policies being prepared for further liberalisation. More than 10,000 Canadians chose to be put to death in the most recent year for which data is available, with some choosing death because of mounting medical debts. Two instances are cited: one of an individual opting for euthanasia because he couldnt keep up with the high costs of living at home with caregivers. The other was after a hospital staffer informed him it would cost $1,500 per day to keep him alive in hospital before then mentioning euthanasia.

A civilisation is in decline when its members are urged to commit suicide. An age of insanity has come upon us, with our hierarchies (too often now wrongly called elites) cynically supporting the politics of delusion, arguably even of madness, as when people refuse to accept certain realities. Such as when an individual is born indisputably biologically male, equipped with the body and physique to substantiate this, but claims to be female. Instead of being offered the mental and emotional support which he may well need to introduce him to the reality that he is provably not female, our hierarchies, especially throughout our degraded universities, have connived at this assault upon fact and reason. Even worse has been their support for our young being propagandised into believing they can choose to change their gender by physically and chemically undergoing what is basically an assault against the bodies of confused children.

Those who argue that this is an actual crime, even when misguidedly undertaken, have an excellent case. The howls of outrage, even of hatred, today directed against those on the side of sanity would not have been heard even one or two decades ago. Pointing out that biology determines whether an individual is a man or a woman, and that simply choosing to identify as transgender does not establish it as a truth, was not necessary. I myself identifying as a male would be nonsensical as silly as someone claiming to be a werewolf or to be invisible. That undoubted truths get dismissed because of their inconvenience has seen the dark creeping further out over the West.

Our democracies have become further assaulted by the battering ram of totalitarianism, as with Premier Dan Andrews employing the police as a brutal political weapon against peaceful protesters. And on this side of the Tasman, Jacinda Ardern faces mounting public pressure for a review into an explosive Interpol leak. Australian reporters Avi Yemini and Rukshan Fernando were inexplicably politically profiled by NZ Police, with Interpol Wellington seeking to stop them entering the country to report on an anti-government protest. Independent reporter Sean Plunket noted that someone in the New Zealand police made the decision to dig up dirt to stop them coming, with our typically evasive Prime Minister saying she could not verify the secret police memo. Plunket pointed out that if instructions were not given to the police by the government, this question needs to be asked: Do our police have the statutory right to decide whom they want or dont want in the country, based on their political or other views?

New Zealanders now have almost no say about what is happening in their country. Directives have been given to all government departments to now refer to this country as Aotearoa overwhelmingly rejected by 90 per cent of New Zealanders in an independent poll. Not for a moment does this faze Ardern, determinedly ignoring the wishes of the majority, not only with regard to her utterly undemocratic policies of co-governance i.e. regarding a minority of part-Maori descent, often markedly minimal, as legally entitled to not only share, but even control decision-making.

We are ahead, still, of Australia, where the parallel movement to provide special rights to those of aboriginal descent is now underway. Australians need to wake up faster than most well-meaning, but dozy New Zealanders, who good-naturedly did not object to Maori greetings such as Kia ora and Nga mihi taking precedence over English, and our national anthem being first sung in reconstituted Maori. But little by little we have got to the stage where our important institutions now have reinvented, Maori-only names, incomprehensible to most New Zealanders and telling us nothing about why they exist. Waka Kohati, for example, is meaningless, as is Kainga Ora. And when a sentence incomprehensibly states that a rahui has been put over some land, it is basically insulting to the majority including new migrants struggling to learn English, our most important national and international language, as well as to preserve their own.

As the so-called indigenous movement gains strength around the world which should be irrelevant to us here in New Zealand Maori are not indigenous, and can name the canoes in which they arrived its time for the majority to fight far more determinedly for the values for which our forebears gave their lives in two world wars. It is high time for both our peoples to wake up to the reality that we are facing the deliberate promotion of policies of disaffection, with the fanning of the fires of the grievance industry as part of communisms long war against the West. We are late to wake up to the poet Yeats warning, The good lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

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Shadows over New Zealand - The Spectator Australia

Express News Service

KOCHI: At a time whenthe stray dog menace is on the rise in the state, the Kerala government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking to permit euthanasia or culling of violent and vicious stray dogs, in particular, dogs suspected of having contracted rabies.

The petition pointed out that "one issue is pertaining to the matter of rabid/feral dogs. While the State Act and Rules provide for destruction of dogs that are violent or rabid, no culling is undertaken currently as it is regarded as contrary to the Central Rules. When there is a zoonotic disease outbreak, the culling of animals or birds (for bird flu or swine flu) is undertaken to prevent the spread. However, in the case of rabid dogs, they are only to be isolated till they die."

The government stated that it had conducted detailed discussions regarding the control of stray dog bites and prevention of bite victims getting infected by rabies and also evaluated the progress of previous ministerial-level meetings.

Orders were issued to resolve the state of affairs by carrying out immediate action based on the decisions to solve the issues caused by stray dogs in the state by forming an immediate action plan at the local government level. The government also decided to identify hotspots where there has been an increased incidence of dog bites among animals and humans. Vaccination drives across all LSGS with saturation focus in the hotspots. Temporary shelters/cages to take ferocious dogs off the street with arrangements for feeding and care. It also decided to conduct a cleanliness drive to tackle wet waste particularly meat waste in public places or the wayside, which lead to the congregation of dogs for food.

Alternate arrangements through community-based committees at the LSG level to provide food for the dogs to be made, taking the support of dog lovers, hoteliers, kennel owners, etc. The state has also instructed escalation of pet dog registration (and vaccination) and LSG level committees of all local stakeholders are constituted to ensure the above. Action has also been initiated to scale up the ABC programme activities of the state within the existing restrictions.

Permit Kudumbashree to implement the ABC programme

The government also cited another issue which is the withdrawal of Kudumbashree Units from the ABC programme following the interim order by the High Court of Kerala, bringing the ABC programme to a complete halt in eightdistricts. The High Court had issued an order restraining the inclusion of Kudumbashree as an implementing agency for the Animal Birth Control Project which was being conducted to prevent the increase in the number of stray dogs.

The reason was the lack of certification by the Animal Welfare Board of India. This certification of AWBI had been denied on account of the gap in infrastructural facilities as per the terms and conditions of the guidelines. At present, the permission to conduct the ABC program shall only be given to the agencies which have the certification of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). Kudumbasree has taken the necessary steps to obtain that certification from AWBI some additional infrastructural requirements are to be met to satisfy the conditions stipulated. But the emergent situation warrants an immediate restoration of the ABC programme, and enhancement of its reach so that the problem of stray dogs can be permanently resolved. It is a fact that there are hardly any AWBI-certified organizations to undertake theactivities of the programme in Kerala.

Hence, the government sought to permit the Kudumbashree units trained in the ABC programme to undertake the Animal Birth Control programme to tide over the present crisis.

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Stray dog attacks: Kerala moves SC seeking to permit euthanasia or culling of rabies-infected dogs - The New Indian Express