I know this topic will always be a heated debate, not just in the reptile arena but concerning all animals in general because it is one we are emotionally vested in. However, I do believe it will always be relevant and should be discussed openly. I also believe (and I'm going to duck for cover here :awcrap: ) this topic should be revisited somewhat regularly because, as science and technology continue to advance at incredible rates, there is constantly new information available to be assessed and the more we learn, the better we are able to make good decisions for our pets. Besides, one of the purposes for a forum such as this is to provide a platform for the sharing of knowledge and experiences for the benefit of others, right?
I do not consider euthanasia a "necessary evil" as I believe that it is something positive that we, as humans, can do for animals that are suffering or are faced with a poor quality of life. This does not make it any less painful or heart wrenching for us but this is where we put the animal's best interest before our own. This does not make any of us here bad people, quite the contrary, it shows our compassion and empathy. I still feel guilt and get visibly upset when thinking of animals in the past whom I have either 'put down' myself or assisted in the euthanization of no matter how much I know, logically, it was the best and right decision given the circumstances. However, I know the guilt and heart ache I will always carry from NOT euthanizing or delaying the decision when it was best is far worse.
Unfortunately, none of us will every *truly* know what a snake feels, thinks, and experiences during any method of euthanasia unless, well, we were all snakes going through just that. Based on the physiological and neurological knowledge we continually gain and data we can measure such as neurologic activity, hormone levels, heart/respiration rates, etc. gathered in studies, we do our best to draw logical conclusions but no matter how much data we have, there will always be some room for speculation concerning one's level of consciousness, thought processes and ability to experience emotions since there is no scientific method of detecting/registering a 'feeling'. *On a side note, it's really only been recently (a few decades) widely accepted that many animals species exhibit and experience feelings thought previously to have only be attributed to humans such as jealousy, emotional pain from a death or exclusion from a group, etc. Who knows what'll be discovered in the coming years. I certainly believe for all we do know, there is still so much we don't.* However, I ask all of you (as well as those who have read but not posted) that, no matter how emotionally trying, continue the discussion now and then because ultimately, as I stated before, beneficial for our pets. I can only speak on behalf of myself (but I'm sure this applies to many) when I say I have learned an immeasurable amount from this thread and feel that I am far better equipped now to make a more humane decision should I ever be confronted with an unfortunate situation, especially one which may need immediate action, for any snake.
Just my two cents…
