Putting Down Animals
Does anyone have stories about putting down animals. I got one but I'm a little nervous about putting it out, at least to start with. I thought I would ask the question first and see what other stories there are. It's not the same as hunting stories. Any stories? How? Why? Anything go wrong? Dogs? Cows? Sows? Cats? Mistakes made? Lessons learned?
Not looking for anything morbid, but there are stories.
Not looking for anything morbid, but there are stories.
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I'm not proud of it but, I've had to put a couple down. The worst was my pure white (cancerous) cat. I shot it in the head with a .22 at VERY close range. Splattered blood on me and the car. The REALLY bad part was watching him flop around for two or three minutes before he finally expired.
I hope I never have to do it again but, if I do, you can bet I'll use a shotgun at a safer distance. Kill it mercifully quick.0 -
I had a show steer that was the biggest pain in the butt and crazy crazy animal I have been around. The damn thing was so attached to another steer I had, he would run around in cirles in his pin (about 40 x 40) So much that wore a round path in it. That was after I separated them. Before that, It was just about impossible to walk him once he grew enough. I can't count how many times he got away from me, but he would always go back to get his pal. He broke TWO heavy duty clips, along with TWO heavy built halters. Needless to say, I had to put him down. He went in the freezer and tasted damn good! 0 -
I have taken a different route in that I called my vet. She has come over to the house over the years and given my pups, a 14 yo female dobie, 9 yo male dobie and 9 yo male rotty, the shots at home. They were surrounded by family and passed away without any further pain. It may cost some bucks, but it was well worth seeing their pain go away. 0 -
Have had family pets that had to make the final trip to the vet (cancer for one, paralysis for the other) Helped a friend put down his pup that had been hit bad by a car, and could not wait for the trip to the vet (38, behind the ear, yes, splash can be expected) Put it in the right place and it is as close to instant as can be. I am not counting the stray chasing livestock and my kids- 150 gr .308 softip- and that ended that. 0 -
I've got a Golden Retriever lying on my feet right now that is going to have to be put down very soon. Back during dove season he developed a limp and I thought I was just missing a thorn in his foot. I took him to the vet and x-rays showed a small bone spur, so the vet sent me to a surgeon. A short visit later it turned out to be bone cancer, and he had not yet hit two years old. He's lost about twenty pounds so far, but still is just as happy as he can be, just can't walk real well with a grapefruit sized growth on his left shoulder. No pain yet, but it can't be long now.
He's not too much of a hunting dog, but he's the best companion dog I've ever had. He never leaves the area of the kitchen or the basement when he's in the house, sleeps in the breezeway with open bags of food and piles of boots and has never gotten into the food one time nor chewed a boot. Never got in the trash, even meat wrappers in the kitchen, and hasn't ever chewed anything in the house. He had one BM at five weeks old in the basement (my fault) and has been housebroken ever since.
He rides with me everywhere in my truck and sticks his head up to the window every time we go to the drive through at the bank, waiting for the teller to give him a biscuit, and they always do. Whenever my wife gets too close when I'm at the computer, he walks up and sticks his head between us and presses his head down on my leg just to let me know he is there. If I sit on the couch in the basement, he's there immediately with his head in my lap and going to sleep. My dad (95) has already built a box to bury him in and lined it.
I've had to put down quite a few animals over the years, but this one is going to be tough.0 -
I usually get that job around here. Not that I enjoy it, I just get it done as painless as possible. I usually use my old Ruger .22 single six. A double tap in the head at zero range. Dave 0 -
When I was in high school I had one dog we had to put down. Not much of a personality. He was just there and didn't do much. This was not a reason for putting down a dumb mutt. We lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere farm ground. This was an outside dog that wasn't chain down or penned up. The dog liked to run. He would be gone for days, then show up again. Not a dangerous dog. Friendly but no personality. No a hazard to strangers. This wasn't a problem until we got a new pup.
When the pup got old enough it ran off with him. Mutt came back. Pup didn't. This was a problem.
Couple of years later, we got another pup. Uncle did the deed. Funny how a lazy dog with no personalty knows something bad is about to happen to him.0 -
have put down several animals of different types.....one that stick in my mind is several years ago i just bought a bull he was with other bulls and they got to fighting and the new bull ended up with hind leg broke up high..anyways i had insurance on him called the ins co they told me he had to be looked at by a vet and say it was alright to be put down.said no problem, vet showed up and left said he would do the paper work to provide to ins co, he had to leave right away for different call...in the mean time i called ins co from cell phone in pasture the gal from ins co said she had to talk to him, told her he had already left and i needed the go ahead from her to put him down...got quiet for long time....i said mamm you still there ....she said yes,then said wull how are you going to put the bull down since the vet left already....told her i had my 30-30 in the pickup quiet again for awhile......she then said do what you got to do....or something to that effect....never dawned on me that the gal pry never been around a ranch ....and pry was thinking what a cruel sob i was. 0 -
We have the Vet. come to the house with a shot. The whole family is there to see them off. 0 -
Several years ago in my youth, we had to put down an old cow. The cow had a tumor on the side of it's head. It was disgusting and not suitable for meat. They poor thing was probably in some intense pain. My Uncle, who is a LEO, was going to do it. Only rifle they had was a .22.
Like many people here, the thought he knew what he was doing. For this deed, he chose some little ankle gun. It was small. Funny how you can walk behind a cow for a 1/4 mile herding it to the barn, but when it's time is up, it knows something is up. Anyway, it wouldn't stand still for him, and with the small handgun he had to get close. He gets the idea to drive by with the Jeep and shoot it.
Often times a cow isn't as nervous about vehicles than people walking. No luck this time. It was spring and the cow was the only animal in the field off the barnyard. The rest were in the feed lot, and it wasn't about to stand still for nothing.
He ends up driving in circles around the animal while holding the gun out and trying to aim. I'm starting to get a little nervous about my own safety. Dad and I were standing several hundred yards away by the shed.
He is a trained expert, not some idiot novice like me. At the same time I'm laughing at the absurdity of the situation. He would have been more successful using the Jeep as a weapon than the revolver. Some pro. He would not make a good hitman.
I learned a lot. Even educated professional LEO's can make the simplest mistakes. Plan it out. Do it according to the plan. Don't get sloppy, and use a big enough gun. I recommend using a rifle not some little revolver.0 -
I've done the gun route to just about every kind of critter I can think of.With re. to pets,if the gun is your way then I suggest putting alot of bullets behind the ear as fast as you can.On the other hand years ago my grand-father and I were talking about this subject and he said he used carbon monoxide,I can't remember the source of the gas but he was a very gentle man with his animals and loved the dogs,cats,crows,deer,coons,skunks,ect. at our place,so I'm sure he did'nt just start the car and lock em' in the garage.The one time he used a gun he had to borrow it.It was an 1893 Win.shotgun for a cow,he wound up blowing it up and wounding the cow.Still have the remnants of that 93.I'm gonna ask dad about GF's method.He said they would just go to sleep.Once their furnace acted up and GM passed out while my dad was there,he carried her outside after he began to feel strange.When it was all said and done GM accused GP of trying to put her down.Funny but not at the same time. 0 -
Growing up on the farm, I have to put down a calf, several hogs, and quite a few stays (dogs a cats). Once we had a sow that was stradled and couldn't get up. She was just about 3 days out from farrowing and since we couldn't get her up to get her moved to the farrowing house, we put her down and immediately cut her belly and saved her piglets. Doing this you have to move very quickly as the piglets will die very quickly in the womb after you put down the sow. We saved 12 pigs by putting her down.
I got to tell you though, it is never a easy job and it seems to get harder all the time.[:(]0 -
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
Several years ago in my youth, we had to put down an old cow. The cow had a tumor on the side of it's head. It was disgusting and not suitable for meat. They poor thing was probably in some intense pain. My Uncle, who is a LEO, was going to do it. Only rifle they had was a .22.
Like many people here, the thought he knew what he was doing. For this deed, he chose some little ankle gun. It was small. Funny how you can walk behind a cow for a 1/4 mile herding it to the barn, but when it's time is up, it knows something is up. Anyway, it wouldn't stand still for him, and with the small handgun he had to get close. He gets the idea to drive by with the Jeep and shoot it.
Often times a cow isn't as nervous about vehicles than people walking. No luck this time. It was spring and the cow was the only animal in the field off the barnyard. The rest were in the feed lot, and it wasn't about to stand still for nothing.
He ends up driving in circles around the animal while holding the gun out and trying to aim. I'm starting to get a little nervous about my own safety. Dad and I were standing several hundred yards away by the shed.
He is a trained expert, not some idiot novice like me. At the same time I'm laughing at the absurdity of the situation. He would have been more successful using the Jeep as a weapon than the revolver. Some pro. He would not make a good hitman.
I learned a lot. Even educated professional LEO's can make the simplest mistakes. Plan it out. Do it according to the plan. Don't get sloppy, and use a big enough gun. I recommend using a rifle not some little revolver.
This comes straight from a butcher, if using a .22, use two shots in the ear, not one. [:D] They learned the hard way [:0]0 -
Vet came to house. Injected kitty with some tranquilizer, then 5 minutes later with a massive phenobarbitol dose. Cat was dead within 2 minutes. It didn't occur to me that on dying, she'd pee, but in retrospect it makes sense.
Edit: I wouldn't have it any other way. I could give the pet the shots myself (and I'd figure out how to make that happen if I couldn't find a house-call vet), but I don't want my pet's last hours to be squeezed into a carrier and taken on a ride to a strange place to die. I think if I had the option, I'd shoot the pet before I'd let that happen, but I really hope I never have to do that. I'm not knocking anybody who had to put an animal down with a bullet, I'm just saying I hope I never have to do that.0 -
quote:Originally posted by spurgemastur
Vet came to house. Injected kitty with some tranquilizer, then 5 minutes later with a massive phenobarbitol dose. Cat was dead within 2 minutes. It didn't occur to me that on dying, she'd pee, but in retrospect it makes sense.
Yeah, my last dog, took a crap when he was knocked out by the vet to set the broken leg.0 -
Worst job in the world on this thread. [:(] 22 works just fine with almost anything. Behind the ear or between the eyes does the job as painlessly as possible. We had to put our dog of 14 years down and we couldn't do it. Took it to the vet and had her put down. A little more $$ but don't have to see your pet die. Not an easy decision either way. 0 -
why don't you bash its head in with a baseball bat or chop its head off with a machete? what's the difference from blowing its head apart with a gun and watching them flop around?
if you cared about killing an animal without pain to it or yourself, you should give it an injection that renders it unconscious. if it was your friend, you should care.0 -
I don't know why in the HELL you would even bring up this subject for christ's sake it is a private event to everyone of us and SHOULD NOT BE spoken of in a forum or anywhere else! What did you intend to gain from this post? all it does is drag up events that are to be delt with in private! 0 -
I had a great dog I had to put down. She had gotten out of our yard and got into some poison someone had out. I had let her in for the night not thinking about her being out of the yard. Thirty minutes later she had lost her bowels and stomach,was locked up stiff with her eyes rolled back into her head and her body was burning up. I rolled her up in a towel and soaked it with cold water trying to break her fever. My wife was trying to call the vet. No answer at 2 a.m. Three o'clock came around and no change and now she was convulsing. I couldn't take it any longer and I knew she was in pain. I put two 22's behind her ear. Hardest thing I'v ever done. She has haunted me in my dreams. I check and double check the fence for our dogs now every week. 0 -
had a little tweetie bird that broke it leg. so I popped open a gel sleeping pill and squirted it into it's mouth. thought it might put it out, i couldnt tell if it did or not i just lopped of it head w/ sissors. i'm not cruel, i love animals(thats why i don't hunt)i just wanted it done fast as possible 0 -
meat cleaver! 0 -
my father-in-law had a calf that was hit by the cattle trailer and fractured a leg the vet set it in a cast but it developed an infection and the vet gave it a shot to put it down but it was still alive about 3-4 hours later and the vet wanted another 25 dollars to come back out and handle it so we talked it over and I put it down for him [remington 550-1 .22 lr behind the ear] then another cow [belonged to a sister-in-law]that was paralyzed when she calved this sometimes happens but after about 15-18 days she still had not gotten up and I put her down same weapon but leanred a lesson, don't shoot the big ones behind the ear, you have to hit them at the base of the skull upward into the brain,the weirdest one was a small dog my step-daughter had she came home one day and it had killed AND PARTIALLY EATEN one of her chihuahuas and had bitten another,ruger single-six .22 subsonic to the head,case closed on that one,started to put down a shar-pei we had but thankfully she died when I laid her in the truck bed and as I cried I said it's gonna be ok girl she just waggged her tail and laid her head down and stopped breathing 0 -
quote:Originally posted by john w
I don't know why in the HELL you would even bring up this subject for christ's sake it is a private event to everyone of us and SHOULD NOT BE spoken of in a forum or anywhere else! What did you intend to gain from this post? all it does is drag up events that are to be delt with in private!
Pain is universal. Some of us find solace in discovering a shared experience.
This thread was originated by a guy wants information from others with experiences that are similar to his. That's kind of the point of a forum. If you have an experience that you're not comfortable sharing....well, then keep it.
Frankly, I'm super-surprised that nobody's asked captplaid for the details of his situation yet, but the fact that nobody has tells me that this forum is working properly: somebody asked for information, and a lot of people are providing it.0 -
The government put down healthy humans at Wacko and Ruby Ridge. So I wouldn't feel inhumane putting down a sick animal. 0 -
Yes I have. No... It's not easy.
If you have the time, then a peaceful shot at home by a kind vet is the best way.
If it's a matter of limited time and intense suffering, then kindness may have to come in the form of a bullet. In this case it becomes your duty to do the job without regard to yourself. Place the shot appropriately and follow it immediately with another.
I've done it both ways. The first for a beloved black labrador. Then a bullet for a dear blond labrador almost 13 years later. I deeply regret having to do either, but I did both in love. I'd do the same thing over without a second thought if I had to.
The difference is one's purpose. Sometimes a final act of love requires us to act in a way that usually repulses us. If we do what's required, then we emerge stronger and with a greater appreciation for this gift of life.0 -
Have had to put several down through the years. If no great
attachment, a .22 between the ears or the eyes works very well.
If a strong attachment, I let the vet put them down.
If a larger animal, I'd bump the .22 up to a mag.0 -
I put down my Mom's black lab. He wasn't trained well. When ever I saw him I would say to him: "You're a spaz," or even, "You're an idiot." It didn't seem to help much because he remained about the most stupid dog ever.
[:D] Just trying to lighten it up a bit.0 -
quote:Originally posted by nord
Yes I have. No... It's not easy.
If you have the time, then a peaceful shot at home by a kind vet is the best way.
If it's a matter of limited time and intense suffering, then kindness may have to come in the form of a bullet. In this case it becomes your duty to do the job without regard to yourself. Place the shot appropriately and follow it immediately with another.
I've done it both ways. The first for a beloved black labrador. Then a bullet for a dear blond labrador almost 13 years later. I deeply regret having to do either, but I did both in love. I'd do the same thing over without a second thought if I had to.
The difference is one's purpose. Sometimes a final act of love requires us to act in a way that usually repulses us. If we do what's required, then we emerge stronger and with a greater appreciation for this gift of life.
nord, That is so right, in every way. I've done it and cried over it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by john w
I don't know why in the HELL you would even bring up this subject for christ's sake it is a private event to everyone of us and SHOULD NOT BE spoken of in a forum or anywhere else! What did you intend to gain from this post? all it does is drag up events that are to be delt with in private!
If you don't have anything to add, don't bother posting.0 -
quote:Originally posted by buschmaster
why don't you bash its head in with a baseball bat or chop its head off with a machete? what's the difference from blowing its head apart with a gun and watching them flop around?
if you cared about killing an animal without pain to it or yourself, you should give it an injection that renders it unconscious. if it was your friend, you should care.
If you don't have anything do add, don't bother posting.0
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