BRITAIN'S UNWANTED PETS - PANORAMA-BBC One, Monday 2nd August, 8.30 pm

cyberbob

Lucy1973 wrote: »

I missed the programme but sky plussed the repeat this morning. I need to psyche myself up to watch these kind of programmes,but I will watch at some point:(

You'll never want to give Battersea any contributions after it. The program missed the oppotunity to have a proper debate about compulsory micro chipping

Lucy1973

I have just seen the programme,as to be expected,it was very upsetting. I managed to hold myself together up until the poor 4 dogs were on their way to be killed:(:(:(

I bet the vet who regularly puts the poor dogs down isn't losing much sleep....he must get around £150 per dog:mad:

Loopy_Girl

I couldn't watch it...I really couldn't

I can't even bring myself to read this whole thread.

Suffice to say that things like that break my heart and I do what I can with sponsership of animals and getting rescue pets.

Fair play to all those that managed to sit through it

hethmar

"Hethmar - you say that any start on these ideas is desirable, but anyone can say 'let's walk to the moon', it's not any use putting forward ideas as a solution that are neither workable nor desirable imo. "

CFC, "someone" said "we can walk on the moon" once and I seem to remember it happened. I bet it took a lot of daft. unworkable ideas before it did though.

Theres an old native american saying "time to throw a stick down" - or in other words, every journey starts with one step.

C_Mababejive

Just read post no 1.

Inevitable tide of more trash TV.

I dont watch any of it?
Why?
Because it is insidious and psychologically damaging. The constant tide of negativity be it builders from hell,homes from hell,holiday homes from hell,mental kids who cant sleep,parents who cant parent,nanny this-nanny that...its just too much.

When are we going to see some inspiring positive,quality tv programmes?

Many Brits seem to thrive on this crap becuase it fuels their desire to moan.

Ninasmum

Since the programme, I have been checking on my local free ads and it's heartbreaking to see the amount of dogs offered due to a change in circs. Often about 6 months old to 1 year old. Often staffie or staffie types. It's so sad.

To illustrate, I came across this during my search, what sweet looking dogs, am just hoping they find someone to love them like they deserve. I can't post links yet so you just need to copy and paste if you want to look.

adtrader.co.uk
/pets-and-animals/dogs
/hi-ya-there-we-are-looking_873068_cpn.html

foreign_correspondent

Lucy1973 wrote: »

I have just seen the programme,as to be expected,it was very upsetting. I managed to hold myself together up until the poor 4 dogs were on their way to be killed:(:(:(

I bet the vet who regularly puts the poor dogs down isn't losing much sleep....he must get around £150 per dog:mad:

I doubt he gets anywhere near that much - and to be honest, watching his facial exressions, as well as what he said, I thought it affected him deeply - I wondered what I would do if I was in his position, and i think the dilemma is, do you do it yourself and try to ensure the end is as swift and human as possible, or do you say 'not my problem' and turn the away, safe in the knowledge that some other vet will do it?

I have a confession to make here - and I fully expect to get slated, but its the same dilemma. Once, in my first job, as a zookeeper, I found a day old litter of rabbits - my delight soon turned to horror when I realised mum had chewed them to bits, starting at the back end - some of them were literally half eaten - legs and back end gone.

All were somehow still alive, or half alive, and suffering. I knew that the procedure would be for one of the lads to come down and knock them over the back of the head - not the most pleasant task, but an instant end for the rabbits. I also knew that by the time I had got back to the office, let someone know, and the lad who had to do it had been found and sent down, another hour of suffering (at least) would have passed.

I weighed it up, and realised that to end their suffering sooner rather than later would be kindest for them - so I steeled myself and did it. I hated doing it, but I knew that ultimately the end was the same and I had spared their suffering being prolonged any more.

Likewise, if this vet didnt do it, another would - at least he knows they had the kindest ending he could give them, and I think it was very brave of him to let this be shown on TV - so long as people are blind to this issue, they will imagine that every dog they drop off at a rescue, or let go to the pound, will be found a lovely home and live happily ever after.

hotcookie101

Lucy1973 wrote: »

I bet the vet who regularly puts the poor dogs down isn't losing much sleep....he must get around £150 per dog:mad:

Sorry didn't see the programme but had to comment on this. No-one I know feels good about PTS, even when the animals are ill, its one of the worst parts of the job. When you pts due to aggression, especially when not the dogs fault due to poor ownership or provocation-its crap, I hate it, and I bloody well lose sleep:mad: but there are NO potential homes for these dogs, or rescues willing to take them

as for £150 per dog-very unlikely. And battersea vets have a damn hard time trying to get dogs healthy and rehomed, they accept ALL dogs, do not pick and choose like some other charities, they cannot rehome all dogs, and will have to PTS some. the behaviour checks are not the 2s job talked about on this, they are far more indepth. They cannot risk rehoming an aggressive dog. They perform extensive health and behavioural checks before rehoming or PTS, from the sounds of it the programme made it look like a walk-by only-not the case

Silveralice

[QUOTE

I bet the vet who regularly puts the poor dogs down isn't losing much sleep....he must get around £150 per dog:mad:[/QUOTE]

At the practice I work in, which is in a fairly affluent part of the South-East, we charge in the region of £25 per dog for a euthanasia (with a discount on that figure for charity work; cremation is separate, but the cremation service gets nearly all of that money). We try to do each one with as much compassion as we can; sometimes the owner dumps the animal and runs, so we are putting down an animal we've never met before, trying to make its last few minutes, with strangers, peaceful; sometimes it's a long established client with a pet we know personally, and a 45 minute consultation before they're ready to say goodbye. Either way, I've been a vet for 20 years, and I can still remember many of the euthenasias I've done decades ago, and could individually describe every one I've done in the last few weeks. It never becomes routine. We never do it without thought and unless it's the least worst option for that animal. Vets have to deal with this every day, take the memory home at night, and come back the next day and do it all again. There may be the odd vet who doesn't lose any sleep over it, but for most of us, it's one of the most important, demanding and difficult parts of the job - and I saw nothing in that programme to suggest the vet pictured didn't find it hard or was doing it to make money. He was doing it because there was no other option for those dogs, and he wanted it to be done right, by someone who knew what they were doing. In one way, those dogs were lucky; they were put down by a trained professional. Not all racing greyhounds are so lucky, for example.

hotcookie101

Silveralice wrote: »

[QUOTE

He was doing it because there was no other option for those dogs, and he wanted it to be done right, by someone who knew what they were doing. In one way, those dogs were lucky; they were put down by a trained professional. Not all racing greyhounds are so lucky, for example.

I agree-or sometimes animals PTS by the RSPCA inspectors, unwilling to pay vets euthanasia fee, and unskilled in IV injections, will take animals from our building and give them an injection into liver or abdomen-not quick, painless or dignified

We do a lot of retired greyhound trust work, and they are wonderful, very compassionate, we sometimes have to euthanase dogs unsuitable for rehoming and they are heartbroken to lose dogs.

Again-I know NO vet who enjoys euthanasias, and certainly know none who think of it with pound signs in their eyes, is one of the most offensive comments I have had thrown at my profession