And now, an interlude.. from nothing.

Yup. Tonight, I've been doing something that's been a hobby of mine for a long bit.. reading debates and corresponding comments.

So, today's topic? Well, I've run through feminism becoming sexist, but that's probably an old topic and not as potentially harsh as this one. Euthanasia.. for animals.

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/mar/true_cost_euthanasia

The question, if anyone is too lazy to read the article, is - are veterinarians ( vets) being underpaid for their euthanasia jobs? On one side, there are vets and vet supporters who understand the emotional toll it can have on the doctors and those involved, and in lieu of the emotional support that they provide, it's warranted to ask for more of a standard pay for these jobs. On the other hand are those that believe it's mercenary - taking advantage of the clients' grief for money - and that it's part of the profession so they should not whine about it.

My personal take on this? The vets deserve to be given more, yes, but I wouldn't say they should have more money for these jobs. What does that money do? Pay for a vacation so they can pour out the pain? Help them binge it out? The clients, I believe, need the money as much as the vets do. No, I'd say the vets deserve to be given more credit... more recognition, more compassion themselves. Perhaps more recognition from their respective employers, especially, or.. if they're self-employed, it falls down to the client.

Now, one might argue that the clients are more emotionally attached to their pets. This is true, but one has to realise that the vets don't just work on one pet. If they have to euthanise more than one animal in their workshift, it can very well be devastating, especially due to their tendency to bond with their patients - the animals - during visits. Worse, vets often have very little time to mull over these cases as their schedule is never fixed. While a family might be able to take days off to come to terms with their beloved pets, the vet will be forced to deal with a constant influx of animals that have been hurt or sick.

A professional solution might be limiting the number of animals that can be euthanised within a certain time space, but due to personal concerns some vets might find this difficult, rejecting multiple clients due to this limit. However, at the same time, it could help prevent the breakdown of these doctors due to such build-ups of distress.

Whatever the case, I'm convinced the solution lies in easing the emotional toll, and not attempting to replace the pain with money. As mentioned, the paying party needs the money just as much. It could be argued that this extra money helps the doctor because they might need to end their career early because of the added toll, but we should also consider the client's needs.

No matter how we look at this, though, it's a tough issue. Kudos to the professionals who dare take up these operations, and help their clients as much as their patients through these difficult times.