Veterinary killing: history and ethics

Killing/euthanasia is a common procedure in veterinary medicine. While generally seen as unproblematic in terminal disease, and when carried out for welfare reasons, the process is complicated by advances in veterinary care which can prolong animals’ lives to an extent that may be considered overtreatment. Veterinarians may experience moral distress if they feel they are keeping animals alive when they should be euthanased. At the same time, healthy animals are sometimes killed to prevent diseases from spreading or for spurious reasons. Such decisions do not operate solely across animal category lines (e.g. companion vs. farmed) but reflect differing conceptions of animal value within species as well. This chapter takes a historical approach to the ethics of killing animals. It concludes that veterinarians may be helped in decision-making by trying to triangulate thinking across species lines, and focusing on sentience not species when considering the profession’s broader ethical responsibilities towards all animals.