It puzzles me too, but a lot of people feel it is too difficult. Many
people cannot be in the room when their cat or dog is euthanized. And
many can't bear to watch the suffering of their friend. So, they take
the easy way out. Unfortunately, I don't think it is the easy way in
the long run. You can't go back and change it.

When I was 9 years olds, my parents opted to put down my dog when I
was at a soccer game. They felt it would be too hard for me. I felt so
guilty because I barely said hi to her that morning. I had no idea
what was going to happen, and she was buried before i got home. My
parents meant well, but it really left me feeling horrible about
myself and how I didn't show her enough love. I don't know when, but I
realized it wasn't my fault on that occasion, but I would do my best
never to let that happen again.

I have two goals that I work hard at, especially as they get older.
One, I want to be there when they die. I want them to know just how
much I love them, and that I am there to comfort them in their time of
need. Two, I want them to always feel loved and appreciated and
special. Maynard is my oldest now. He'll be 18 in June. I feed him
special treats everyday, partly to keep his weight up, and partly to
keep him in the mindset of being extra special. While I expect him to
be around for at least a few more years (he really is doing quite
well, with only a bad day here and there). But if he should drop dead
today, I know his last day will have been a good one. Unless I am
leaving for work, I won't get up if he is snuggling on my lap. I give
him lots of treats and lots of special time. He also gets a lot of
extra patience, and while his extra meowing can be annoying, I know it
is one of the things that I will miss when he is gone.

My second dog would lose control after going down the stairs to my
bedroom. So, we just kept the door shut, and made sure she went
outside before going downstairs. There were some accidents, but I
cleaned them up.

Kira used to get sick when I would go out of town overnight.
Especially if it was more than one night. And she always got sick on
the bed. A lovely thing to come home to.

So, what I did was really easy. I bought a vinyl tablecloth and put it
over the bed fuzzy side up. Then, on top, I put a couple small throw
blankets. She had something nice to sleep on. When I got home, I could
just roll the tablecloth and throws into a ball, toss them in the
laundry room, and go to bed in a nice clean bed with a happy cat. No
anger, no fuss, no problem. The tablecloth gets washed the next day
and is ready to be used during the next abcess. There is no need for
anybody to get upset, and she still gets something nice to sleep on.
After a few years, she stopped getting sick, and I quit using it. But
I still have it. If somebody gets sick or incontinent later, I can get
it back out. They are pretty cheap, and do the job very well.

Meghan & the Zoo Crew  
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

Congratulations. You are a top-notch human being.