I've tried to ignore this, but I can't.... Okay, let's take absolute worst case scenario. Your ferret is terminally ill, in pain, suffering with every breath. Why in the name of God would you even consider letting the last thing that little fuzzy see is you pointing a gun at him and then the feel of a pellet ripping through his body? I don't care how instant the death is! What is the real reason here? Money? Not wanting to pay for the cost to the vet to put him down? If you love and care for an animal, wouldn't you want to be able to hold that pet in your arms as it takes it's last breath? I know it costs to have an animal put down, heck I paid $30 to have my daughter's pet rat put down! You know what would have frozen over before I let anyone use her for target practice! She was a member of the family for almost 3 years (almost unheard of age in the rat world!). She deserved much better than that. How would you feel if when you become too old, too feeble, too sick and the time comes for your family to let go of you, they take you out in the field and hopefully hit the mark the first time? I would guess that getting struck by a car traveling at a high speed would do the trick, would you prefer that method? Sorry, I don't mean to get too irate, but just the thought of any animal dying in that fashion is terrible. Come on, we've all seen Old Yeller, only justification there is that was the only means at that point in history! What about your family and kids being able to say the last goodbye before their beloved pet is placed in the ground? I would not want my daughter to see her pet's head blown off! Maybe I'm just a different type of person, I would never allow that type of violent death to come to anyone or anything I loved. Jen and my beloved Gang [Posted in FML issue 2570]