no insight Nemo.
When I and my wife took our dog of almost 14 years on her final trip to the vet a week before Christmas last year,
it was gut wrenching. She was sick but still, she was loving and gave us great joy.
She faithfully got into our car not knowing that she would never return home or be alive much longer....
For that reason, I cannot find anything humane about deciding to take your best friend unbeknown to them to go be killed and breathe their last breath because they are old or something is wrong with them.
I wish to this day I had not done that. She could not control her bladder totally and we had to keep puppy pads down where she slept and changed them several times a day.
For this crime, we killed her.
The vet claims she may have had Cushings disease. We din't think so. No evidence.
She still loved us and showed great affection and knew when she needed to go outside for potty break.
We asked the vet to simply sedate her so we could spend time with her before she got her shot that would stop her heart.
I was on the floor of the room with my dog just petting her and hugging her to give her love and comfort.
She did not know what was coming and I feel awful to this day.
I have seen too much death in my lifetime and I suppose if your pet is really, genuinely hurting and the time is near, then perhaps it might be okay.
I however am now of the opinion that euthanasia is greatly over used and it is not compassionate in many cases. It is no different to me now than simply taking a life because he animal is not in perfect health, and all it has to look forward to as it gets older and gives 100 percent of its devotion to making us happy, is for us to go and kill it when things aren't perfect.
It is different if the pet is pain and really suffering. But that was not our case and seeing what happens after an animal being put down can be traumatic if you have not witnessed that before.
I am sorry you had to see that. It is part of death unfortunately and it is not a pleasant sight.
I do not believe I can ever have a pet again for this reason. I am not emotionally able to ever go through this process again and I do not believe it is fair to the animal either except in true, dire circumstances.
These are just my experiences and others may have differing ones. I hate this thing called death with a passion.
Animals have no afterlife that we know of for sure. So it truly is finality for that wonderful loving pet who does have a personality and does experience emotions, to have its life ended.
I understand exactly where you are coming from Nemo.
I cried for weeks after losing my best friend of almost 14 years. She loved unconditionally as does yours.
So these are difficult times and decisions for every pet owner who has a relationship with their pet who is totally dependent upon them for everything but gives so much more in return, without question.....
I am saddened to know you are facing that....
micro.... 
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