>From:    Edward Lipinski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Biters; anti-ferret movement; euthanizing with a pellet gun
>
>To Janke and Hepper on the pellet gun: As an Armed Services Veteran and a
>past member of the US Navy Big Bore (.30 cal) Rifle Team, let me address
>this very delicate issue of putting down an animal with a pellet rifle
>(not a pellet pistol).
>
>As a service to the ferret community I have offered my skilled service in
>euthanizing any ferret brought to me by its legal owner accompanied by a
>signed "Death Certificate" or equivalent from a licensed vet.  THERE IS NO
>EUTHANIZATION CHARGE OF ANY KIND, WHATEVER, WHEREVER,& WHENEVER.
 
First of all, I don't usually read Mr. Lipinski's posts anymore ...  I had
to go back to read this post because of the apparent ire it has stirred up
amongst the readers of this list ... frankly I wish there had been more.
 
Mr. Lipinski, as someone who gave up hunting several years ago because I
found that I never really enjoyed it, as someone who has euthanized (by
firearm) a few wild animals that had been hit by cars, and as someone who
has euthanized too many laboratory and domestic animals - I implore you
(if you are really doing this and not just trying to get everyone's goat)
to cease your practice of euthanizing ferrets or other domestic (or
"domestical") animals except for in desperate circumstances.
 
I have seen several "missed" shots by well-trained, well-intentioned police
officers and military veterans and the resulting short-term agony to the
animal due to a misunderstanding of anatomy or movement by the animal or
just bad aim.  Your idea of taking the ferret out to the back lot and
"putting it out of its misery" is antiquated, but not quaint.  You may be
breaking U.S./State/Local Animal Welfare Laws and you are certainly acting
inhumanely.  I don't even know of any States (U.S) that use the firing
squad as a means of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT anymore - we don't even use it on
the worst of our society's criminals.  There is a reason that most States
(U.S.) that have the DEATH PENALTY are moving towards lethal injection -
it's more humane.  Veterinarians are trained to make euthanasia as humane
as possible - YOU ARE NOT.  You may be CHEAP, but the life of one of my
pets is not.
 
-Sean
 
******************************
Sean D. Sawyer V'00
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
 
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[Posted in FML issue 2572]