Mj,
 
I totally agree with you.  Especially in the case of animals because
a) you don't know what they are really feeling and
b) they don't understand whats going on.
A human can be enlightened as to why they are in pain but does an animal
know?  I have noticed what you have commented on in FML, and (please don't
take this the wrong way) have put this down to the difference between US
pet care and UK approaches.  I (UK based) strongly believe that there is
stage when you can go no further and may aswell put the animal out of its
misery.  I also believe that this should be true for humans as well, but
that is another discussion!  I love my ferret and will do everything I can
to make her happy, and I think the decision to not let her suffer if
anything happened would be difficult but the best way( I recently had a
similar situation with my cat, who has been diagnosed with diabetes, again
I don't think it is fair to put her through injections everyday and so we
are letting nature take its course, and if need be give it a helping hand
at a later date).  I am not an evil ferret torturer, but I feel this is
because of my love for them.
[Posted in FML issue 2976]