Most well cared for dogs and cats are euthanized when they are at the natural end of their lifespans and no longer have a good quality of life. Bodies grow old and die. It doesn’t matter how much money we invest in medical care, human or animal. At best it can buy a few more (often painful) months or years.
Euthanasia is most often chosen when life is no longer enjoyable for the patient. I think the moral question the OP is posing is why we offer this kind relief to companion animals and not have this option for ourselves.
That very much depends on your definition of Sentience. The most basic one is just “the ability to sense and feel”, which means a lot more things than humans are sentient.
they also have far shorter life spans.
Some sharks and turtles want to have a word with you.
because animals aren’t sentient. they also have far shorter life spans.
also pragmatically, we are not willing to spend as much or invest as much in animal medical care as we do human medical care.
I’m not going to spend 30K to save my dog/cat, but I sure as would my spouse or child.
Most well cared for dogs and cats are euthanized when they are at the natural end of their lifespans and no longer have a good quality of life. Bodies grow old and die. It doesn’t matter how much money we invest in medical care, human or animal. At best it can buy a few more (often painful) months or years.
Euthanasia is most often chosen when life is no longer enjoyable for the patient. I think the moral question the OP is posing is why we offer this kind relief to companion animals and not have this option for ourselves.
That very much depends on your definition of Sentience. The most basic one is just “the ability to sense and feel”, which means a lot more things than humans are sentient.
Some sharks and turtles want to have a word with you.