A Rehabbers question.. putting a Squirrel down? Do you and when?

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I know we have for our dogs, our cats, even" pulled the plug" on loved ones.
At what point ,if ever, would one decide to put a squirrel down.
This is a very touchy subject and I don't want to start any kind of battle here, just thoughts on the matter ....no judging.

[djarenspace9]

A friend just asked me that question today...about Kirby...
I told her I consider if they are in pain, have lost the basic quality of life and show signs of distress in care.

I was told this one time a long time ago and I always think of it when assessing such a situation...

There's a fine line between rehab and torture.

Hope that helps.

[island rehabber]

A maloccluded wild squirrel...
The likelihood of it becoming tame is nearly impossible.
The likelihood of it tolerating constant capture and tooth-trimming is nearly unthinkable.
The likelihood of it enjoying a life of captivity so that it can be captured repeatedly for tooth trimming that will prolong its 'life', which it cannot enjoy....
If it paces, circles, chews the bars, backflips and frontflips I would absolutely humanely euthanize.

Likewise, a baby I've rehabbed who grows to be maloccluded presents a similar problem. She might be tame, but who will keep her as an NR if I can't/won't? Do I raise her to adulthood assuming someone will take her, or.......?

Quite a dark subject you've brought us here, SSM.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I was originally told, not by someone here on the board, but a rehabber non the less, that I was being cruel to keep a squirrel , broken or not. He belongs in the trees. If the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission found out I could go to jail for animal cruelty, her words.

I was also told by another rehabber, not on this board, that because he was not releasable, she would put him down, to save room for one that was releasable.

Another said she would have used him for lunch for the snakes she rehabs, just like what would happen in the wild:eek:

This is what new people, like I was back in Sept, go through seeking advice . I thought they were wrong, but also wondering if I was.
My heart couldn't help but give this poor little thing a chance

And I am glad I didn't listen to these other folks, having the responsibility of another life ,and a wild one at that, has chanced my life.
I cant even begin to explain how much this board has meant to me over the last few months, to know there are others like me who dont listen and do what their heart tells them.
Yet when I try to let others know about this new found gift of wildlife friendship, I get " Oh thats nice, did you see there is a sale at Penny's ??":thinking :shakehead

[stepnstone]

[QUOTE=Sweet Simon's Mommy] {cut}This is what new people, like I was back in Sept, go through seeking advice .

I totally understand what you are saying here. When I was searching for a veterinarian to endorse getting my license I actually interviewed their staff before even speaking with the veterinarian. At one office when I asked under what circumstance they would euthanize an injured squirrel that was brought in rather then treat and turn over for rehabilitation I was told; "One example would be a broken leg". I didn't wait to hear another example, I turned around and walked out of the office... :shakehead

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”
Albert Einstein

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I have faced the choice many times :sad. For me, it all comes down to quality of life. I personally would not keep a squirrel with more than one amputated leg, a malocculded adult wild, a severely poxy baby or adult, and there are several more. I've been through extensive surgery and recovery and I knew what I was going through, I can only imagine going through something really painful and not even knowing what's going on. You can see the fear and pain in their eyes and that helps me decide. I have had to be the one to end it for several squirrels and cottontails, including my own nonreleaseable cottontail with an amputated back leg that broke one of his front legs somehow. The question isn't always can you fix them, it's more what pain will they go through in the process and what's the chances that there will be a good outcome. With the cottontail there was a good likelihood that the front leg could have healed, but in the meantime the little fella wouldn't have been able to move and it was very painful and he wouldn't have understood that he couldn't move and would have tried anyways, further injuring himself and stressing himself out.

Gabe has a saying that she told me after I had to euthanize him:

There are three phases of rehabbing that you grow through as you become more experienced.

Phase 1 is where you cannot accept death and view euthanasia as giving up and a failure to the animal.

Phase 2 is where you view euthanasia as a necessary evil that comes with rehabbing. You know it needs to be done, but you still hesitate to make the decision and wish there was more you could do.

Phase 3 is where you realize that euthanasia is one of the positives of rehabbing. You don't have to let the animal suffer, you can end it's suffering peacefully and you accept that.

She said it much more eloquently but basically, that's what she said. I'm phase 2 and probably always will be :).

[island rehabber]

:goodpost all above....

I think I am at stage 2 as well, and because of TSB I may always be. What we learn here is that sometimes, not often but sometimes, the special handicapped squirrel in the right special hands can have a beautiful life. I don't think most rehabbers ever see that; they don't get a glimpse into the lives of these special people -- pictures included! -- and so they don't know it can be possible.

[djarenspace9]

Yes, good input.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC --- and yes a touchy and dark one too...
...but having this discussion may help someone who doesn't feel they can talk about it openly.

************************************************** ******

I want to point out also that the level of rehab for the individual has a lot to do with that decision.

We have to distinguish the decision for an individual with one squirrel or a handful, versus one with a high volume.

A rehabber that has a heavy volume, 100's or thousands of animals per year,
cannot always dedicate the individual time to one severely compromised animal
and has to consider the housing would take up the space that could help dozens to survive in the meantime.

Sometimes that practicality has a lot to do with it.

During "slow" season that same animal may get a chance to show it can pull through, whereas at peak season the decision might be quick.

It's one of the reasons why I have never pursued licensure, though I am certainly qualified.
I just don't want to do this at a level where it becomes a "business decision".

I want to be able to make this decision purely based on the benefit of the animal,
and not involve my space or time into it.

[island rehabber]

Another good point. :thumbsup
We also must remember that simply keeping an NR alive and throwing food in its cage every day is not a solution. The inability to make that crucial decision we are discussing here can sometimes lead to the nightmare of hoarding....simply because the human in charge cannot make a decision that benefits the animals instead of their own emotions.

[Anne]

I am a stage 2 and probably always will be. I have many NRs. But I can not stand to see an animal in pain and fear with little or no hope of future happiness. I get so many that want to live and thrive-but are beyond my capabilities. Those are the ones where euthanasia is a loving gift. But my heart always breaks and the tears always flow, the memories always haunt.

[Jackie in Tampa]

i have three tabs open with replys
every new post makes me want to respond..
i do consider euthanasia a gift at times, absolutely.
i have left sttrangers standing in my house, yelling lock the door on your way out so i could hurry the gift...knowing it was ok in any reasonable heart, never questioning or being haunted..
but there are those sqs that do hurt forever and make you cringe at a decision you made..never knowing if you were right or .......or not.
hate that...and it ain't easy..
I seldom share these times..these dear lives..
and it ain't in fear of being judged..cause I do this hands on alone.
God is my Judge.
To hell with the snarky finger pointers.
I wear the bandaids and have the sleepless nights , no one else.

I will say that I have more respect than ever for my vet..
we sometimes disagree on treating or pentabarbital...
but every time I leave with a sq that she has asked me to not take home, in the end i feel like poop ...she has been right everytime and I feel that I needelessly tortured..
so talk about a horrible feeling..sigh...yuck yuck.

If a mean NR that DOES NOT NEED HANDS ON CARE
and can sanely play in a cage and eats well, I will allow that life even if that sq does not want me...it's not always about turning them into a pet if they are NR...
IS IT about dollar and space????..
I can't see it that way..
sigh, I want them to live if they do.
this is where the judging comes in, and the funding gets put before the life...
'too many, too much, not enough, hoarder'
...whatever.:shakehead

If an NR needs help everyday...and is wicked mean..
I will give that sq 1.5 - 2 years of age to show me otherwise..
(for my own sanity)
even if I am afraid and have to wear gloves..
if a sq needs help and does not allow me to help...
no matter the love involved or invested..
I make that decision and I know, that it will be a haunting gift..
and I still cry remembering, a precious sq that was dealt a bad hand, and nothing I could humanly have done was going to change that.
:Love_Icon I try all I am supposed too, and I can live with that and dohttp://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_9_18.gif


"Rehabbing" is a place in the heart...
it ain't that piece of paper, it ain't statis, it ain't a badge.
Sometimes it's a mud puddle, some days it's a golden pond!

[Jackie in Tampa]

Laurie, you need to SPEAK with Ann, Wheezer.
She has been in the soul of more animals deeper than all of us put together. She is sensitive, sensible, and sincere.

[IrishHarps]

If you can provide all of your animals with proper care, clean living space, and attention, you aren't a hoarder :) Hoarding is a different story entirely.

In the end, you are going in with the best of intentions, doing the best you can to help God's creatures. That is the most any of us could hope for. Who could judge you?

I never got the "if they can't be outside, it's cruelty" idea. Personal opinion, but I love having pets and I don't think they 'resent' me or I'm being cruel by keeping them inside. I give them love, attention, care - things they would never get in the wild. It's a symbiotic relationship, and symbiotic relationships between species are prevalent throughout nature.

My two cents :-D But yes, in the end, if the animals are getting proper care, and aren't in pain, who is to tell you what to do?

[yoyo]

Well here is a painful topic for me but I wanted to comment anyways. In my state it is not allowed to have squirrels at home, but I did not care about it and I just did it. I hate when somebody takes someone's else life it can be person or animal. I blame my self everyday because I contact a vet to help my yoyi, because they sent yoyi to the animal control and they end up killing her :( I never gave my consent because they do not need it. I was told too that having yoyo in my home with a broken back was cruelty and I made her suffer a lot :( and it brake my heart even more. Everyday that I remember it I want to go back in the time and having yoyi with me. After yoyi die I thought that I should be a vet to help all the little squirrels that need help or surgery. I close my eyes and think that if I had the knowledge to fix my yoyi's back she was going to be for sure a life ! I can't accept that there is no hope for a squirrel with a broken back or that there is nothing that can be done with a broken back! I am sure that if God heard me and saw my crying and much as I did and still do, he will let humans find very soon a cure or solution to fix squirrels back when they need to fix it :( It is so painful to remember how my yoyi looked at me when she was taken by the animal control officer, as she knew that we were not going to see each other never again. I had the hope that she was going to bring my yoyi back fixed but it did not happened :(............I feel like I sent yoyi to death and it is still killing me I suffer and suffer and do not know when it will end :( RIP yoyo, I am so sorry for what I did to her :(

[virgo062]

I've had to put down 2 cats and a dog...Some say Knothead should have been put down and I was hands on the door close to doing that...Turns out Knothead is fat and happy and if I had followed advice and not my heart I would not have him in my life...Which I totally enjoy every single day..The squirrel makes me smile (and cry) because his teeth are so sharp....Its not a easy choice but I'm not going to let a animal suffer in pain...To me quality of life is everything:thumbsup I would put Rick down before Knothead:poke

[virgo062]

Wow I just realized.....I sound like a serial killer:dono More like a Cereal killer....All the animlas I have put down were suffering...The two cats were 18 AND 19 years old..Stimpy my Dog was a mere 9 but he was a bad mix of breed...My little hypercondriac...And YoYo's mom you did what all of us here would have done...I am in a illegal state too but I chance the Vet when I need to....Little YoYo is free in the hands of God and all his creatures you did everything you could:grouphug It sucks to be in a illegal State..But you have to play with the hand you are dealt...I have never been able to take my animals to the Vet to be put to sleep...For I am a coward....I get someone to do it for me but I do remember the look in Stimpys eyes they day he left and it still afffects me to this day...Just like YoYo

[yoyo]

It is so hard I asked to the officer to go with her and she said NO was not allowed ! and then I asked her to bring yoyo back and she said NO it is abuse to have her like that ! at the end I asked for her tiny body to keep it and bury it in my yard, and she said NO can't either cause many diseases doing that they cremate all animals there together ! so painful I remember my yoyo everyday :( with so much pain