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  1. #1

    What is the best way to euthanize an animal without having to go to a vet?

    I discovered two kittens living on my back porch earlier today, and it's evident that their mother must have abandoned them. They appear to be starving, and freaked out when I gave them some left over meatloaf and milk. I feel sorry for them, and can't stand to see an animal suffer, so I want to put them down.. but I feel guilty at the thought of beating them to death, drowning them or even shooting a tiny kitten with a handgun.

    Has anyone else had to deal with this, and how did you do it?

  2. #2
    have you attempted to find a home for them first?

  3. #3
    Take them to an animal shelter. People adopt kittens from animal shelters all the time.

    Edit: also viral facebook campaigns with a cute picture or two. Will get them kittens a new home in no time.
    Last edited by Romeo83x; 2012-08-16 at 06:38 PM.

  4. #4
    You could always give/find them a home instead.
    Last edited by Skelington; 2012-08-16 at 06:38 PM.

  5. #5
    The Undying Kalis's Avatar
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    Ring an animal rescue centre.

  6. #6
    Trying to euthanize them yourself falls into the realm of animal cruelty and is against the law depending on what country you live in. Your best bet is to trap them and take them to the animal shelter. If they are young enough they have a chance to be socialized and or adopted. If they do have to be destroyed the shelter will be able to do it humanely.

  7. #7
    There is no reason to put them down, I don't understand why you thought of that. Try to find them a home or give them to some organisation who does this kind of stuff.

  8. #8
    Deleted
    Hmm, without any training it could be risky, because if you don't kill them instantly you could cause even more suffering. I learned this when when we shot a pigeon with an air rifle at close range (they are considered pests in the UK). Despite the fact that half it's head splattered up the barrel of the gun, it was squirming round and yelping in agony. We shot it again and after still not killing it we felt bad about shooting it for a third time, so we left it and it stopped moving after about 10 minutes.

    What I learned is that if you don't know what you're doing, things can be harder to kill than you'd imagine.
    Last edited by mmocfa651377db; 2012-08-16 at 06:42 PM.

  9. #9
    cat's cradle? i know they are in VA, they have stuff all over up here, id imagine they are as far south as you though. they actually prefer kittens, because their success rate of finding homes is much higher

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Well View Post
    There is no reason to put them down, I don't understand why you thought of that. Try to find them a home or give them to some organisation who does this kind of stuff.
    Maybe he lives out in the country far from the city, and thus there are no animal shelters in close proximity perhaps.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Well View Post
    There is no reason to put them down, I don't understand why you thought of that.
    Dude, they are literally starving to death.

    And to everyone saying to take them to the vet, I don't really feel like spending thousands of dollars having them euthanized when I'm already behind in bills.

  12. #12
    Take them to an animal shelter...

  13. #13
    Deleted
    Knock the cat unconscious and cut the throat.

  14. #14
    Dude, only euthanize them if they are dying.

    If you have to euthanize them, do what my dad did when our kittens got poisoned and had terrible neurological damage. Slit their throats quickly. It's gonna hurt to do it (trust me) and for the love of science ONLY do it if they are in a great deal of pain and are going to die.

    A local shelter will take them in for free.
    Last edited by Elohel; 2012-08-16 at 06:46 PM.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Jersovic View Post
    Dude, they are literally starving to death.

    And to everyone saying to take them to the vet, I don't really feel like spending thousands of dollars having them euthanized when I'm already behind in bills.
    Animal shelter is not the same as a vet. Animal shelter won't take any money from you.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Jersovic View Post
    Dude, they are literally starving to death.

    I don't really feel like spending thousands of dollars
    Think about how the cats must feel

  17. #17
    Deleted
    Take them to an animal shelter now. Post your nearest city and people will advise. Pretty much every city in the states has a humane society of some kind. Most big cities have one who will come and collect them from you within a few hours. You do not have to do anything but make the call, and make that call NOW. It is not up to you whether animals live or die, you are certainly not qualified to judge whether they have a chance at survival, nor how to kill them humanely. Furthermore, in a great deal of countries it may even be illegal for you to make this decision yourself, especially if it is deemed you did not do it humanely and there was an animal shelter / humane society in the area that would have taken them for you.

    Hand rearing kittens is not that complicated and as long as you get them to a shelter asap they have an extremely high chance of survival.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Jersovic View Post
    Dude, they are literally starving to death.

    And to everyone saying to take them to the vet, I don't really feel like spending thousands of dollars having them euthanized when I'm already behind in bills.
    A vet and animal shelter and/or rescue organization are two different things. Vets deal with domestic and kept animals. Shelters and rescue organizations deal with strays and abandoned animals. Most shelters and rescue organizations will take a turn in at no or very little cost. AND most shelters and rescue organizations will attempt to save and adopt the kittens before putting them down.

  19. #19
    Pretty standard to take kittens to the animal shelter, kind of strange how your first reaction is to kill them...

    It's free by the way!
    Last edited by Purlina; 2012-08-16 at 06:48 PM.

  20. #20
    seriously, google cat's cradle, see if they have anybody near you. if you werent like 4 hours drive away id swing by and deal with them myself

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