15 April 201
Mercedes the polar bear has been "put to sleep" after a "recent rapid deterioration in her welfare", the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has announced.
The 30-year-old female bear was moved from Edinburgh Zoo to a new, larger enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore two years ago.
She had been suffering severe arthritis which was treated with painkillers.
The RZSS said it was "with great sadness" that it announced the death.
Mercedes was captured after being rescued from being shot in Canada in 1984 and added to the animal collection at Edinburgh Zoo.
She was relocated to the park at Kincraig in 2009.
During her 25 years in Edinburgh, Mercedes reared two cubs, both sired by her partner Barney, who was born at Whipsnade Zoo.
After the death of Barney in 1996, Mercedes lived by herself at Edinburgh Zoo until she moved to the Highland Wildlife Park in 2009.
A two-year-old male polar bear called Walker was introduced to Mercedes's enclosure in November 2010.
However, an ageing Mercedes was not happy to play with a young cub.
Rapid downturn
A statement from the RZSS, which runs Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, said: "More recently we noted a marked and rapid downturn in her behaviour and her demeanour, and she appeared to be ageing very rapidly and possibly showing signs of senility.
"We had been keeping her separate from the male bear so as to avoid any possibility of him causing her to move more than she wanted to.
"Recently, all of the individuals responsible for her care sadly concluded that our only remaining option was to put her to sleep on age and health grounds."
Simon Girling, RZSS head of veterinary services, said: "We have been monitoring Mercedes's condition for some time now and have tried a number of different therapies for her advanced arthritis, which we were having some success with.
"However, even on medication, Mercedes has now taken a significant turn for the worse in terms of her mobility and is also showing signs of mental confusion.
"This deterioration in her welfare has prompted us to step in and humanely euthanase her."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13094316
Showing posts with label euthanasia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label euthanasia. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2011
Thursday, July 15, 2010
ETHNIC GOOSE CLEANSING
July 12, 2010, 3:29 pm [NY Times] Officials Euthanize Nearly 400 Geese From
Prospect Park By ISOLDE
RAFTERY
Nearly 400 Canada geese and goslings that had been living at Prospect Park were captured and euthanized last week as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the goose population in the New York City region.
Early on Thursday morning, wildlife biologists and technicians descended on the park and netted the birds. The biologists, who work with the wildlife services division of the United States Department of Agriculture, then
packed the geese two or three to a crate and took them to a facility where they were gassed with lethal doses of carbon dioxide, said Carol A. Bannerman, a spokeswoman for the wildlife services division.
The wildlife specialists had taken advantage of the fact that the birds were in the middle of molting season, when they shed their feathers and are unable to fly. On Monday morning, only four geese were seen out on the lake
in Prospect Park, according to one nearby resident, and it was not clear if they had avoided the roundup or arrived in the days since it occurred.
Last summer, 1,200 geese from 17 sites around the city were euthanized. The authorities have been trying to thin out their ranks since two geese flew into the engines of US Airways Flight 1549 in January, 2009, causing it to
splash down in the Hudson River. Everyone on board survived.
The absence of the birds was noticed by park enthusiasts and landscapers, though officials at Prospect Park were not notified of the specifics about their removal. Two of the park’s birds gained some notoriety because of
their disabilities – one was missing the top part of its beak, and another had a crossbow bolt speared through its
neck.The Prospect Park geese were not the only ones removed in the last month. The goal is to remove all geese within seven miles of La Guardia and John F. Kennedy airports.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/nyregion/13geese.html?hp
Prospect Park By ISOLDE
RAFTERY
Nearly 400 Canada geese and goslings that had been living at Prospect Park were captured and euthanized last week as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the goose population in the New York City region.
Early on Thursday morning, wildlife biologists and technicians descended on the park and netted the birds. The biologists, who work with the wildlife services division of the United States Department of Agriculture, then
packed the geese two or three to a crate and took them to a facility where they were gassed with lethal doses of carbon dioxide, said Carol A. Bannerman, a spokeswoman for the wildlife services division.
The wildlife specialists had taken advantage of the fact that the birds were in the middle of molting season, when they shed their feathers and are unable to fly. On Monday morning, only four geese were seen out on the lake
in Prospect Park, according to one nearby resident, and it was not clear if they had avoided the roundup or arrived in the days since it occurred.
Last summer, 1,200 geese from 17 sites around the city were euthanized. The authorities have been trying to thin out their ranks since two geese flew into the engines of US Airways Flight 1549 in January, 2009, causing it to
splash down in the Hudson River. Everyone on board survived.
The absence of the birds was noticed by park enthusiasts and landscapers, though officials at Prospect Park were not notified of the specifics about their removal. Two of the park’s birds gained some notoriety because of
their disabilities – one was missing the top part of its beak
neck.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/nyregion/13geese.html?hp
Thursday, June 17, 2010
RSPCA announces decision to suspend use of bolt guns
17 Jun 2010 08:02
THE RSPCA has decided to suspend using the captive bolt gun as a method of euthanasia.
This follows an outcry when the charity put down ten German Shepherds this way.
The charity has issued a statement saying: “Following public concern expressed on this issue, we have decided to suspend the use of the captive bolt as an approach to euthanasia on any dogs, pending a review.
“Although there is no new scientific evidence on this issue, we do understand that putting animals to sleep does upset many people, so we have also decided to put our policy forward to external consultation, including by vets and independent scientists.
“The RSPCA is sensitive to public opinion, and we hope that by doing this it will reassure people that we are as open and transparent as possible.”
The German Shepherds belonged to a man from South Wales who had died weeks previously. The dogs had become feral, the charity said at the time, and were suffering severe skin conditions. A relative of the dead man had phoned the RSPCA for help.
The charity assessed the dogs and concluded they could not be rehomed due to ‘aggressive behaviour and lack of socialisation’. Officers decided that the most humane form of euthanasia would be to use the captive bolt.
Safest method
At the time a spokesman said: “This would minimise distress to the dogs, while also being the safest method for those people responsible for dealing with the animals.
Restraining the dogs and then shaving a limb to prepare for a lethal injection would have caused these animals unnecessary suffering, due to the animals suffering from a severe skin condition.”
As part of its recent deliberations on whether to use the method again, the charity asked the opinion of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), and the matter was discussed by its Advisory Committee.
This week’s Veterinary Record states that an expert on slaughter methods had indicated to the RSPCA that the use of a captive bolt gun was a humane method of euthanasia. But the Advisory Committee decided that using it on smaller animals was inappropriate and that its use for the euthanasia of dogs was unlikely to be acceptable to the public. There were more appropriate methods, the committee agreed.
It was reported in the Veterinary Record that at the RCVS Council’s meeting, Roger Eddy questioned whether the decision had been made on the grounds of public acceptability or on the basis of science and veterinary knowledge. There were occasions where it was appropriate to use a captive bolt gun to kill a dog, he said, and they could be used to kill other smaller farm animals such as injured or unfit young pigs.
Guidance from the American Veterinary Medical Association indicated that use of a penetrating captive bolt gun was an effective and acceptable method of euthanasia for dogs, he said.
Mr Eddy thought the RCVS should not tell the RSPCA that the use of a captive bolt gun was unacceptable for reasons of public acceptability when there was scientific evidence saying that it was a sound method.
“We all know that this is not going to be a widespread use but I can promise you that there are times when it is necessary,” he said.
However, RCVS senior vice-president Jill Nute said that if the bolt gun was not positioned properly it might not kill the animal outright.
“The use of barbiturates is a better method if euthanasia for smaller animals,” she said.
http://www.dogworld.co.uk/News/24-Bolt
THE RSPCA has decided to suspend using the captive bolt gun as a method of euthanasia.
This follows an outcry when the charity put down ten German Shepherds this way.
The charity has issued a statement saying: “Following public concern expressed on this issue, we have decided to suspend the use of the captive bolt as an approach to euthanasia on any dogs, pending a review.
“Although there is no new scientific evidence on this issue, we do understand that putting animals to sleep does upset many people, so we have also decided to put our policy forward to external consultation, including by vets and independent scientists.
“The RSPCA is sensitive to public opinion, and we hope that by doing this it will reassure people that we are as open and transparent as possible.”
The German Shepherds belonged to a man from South Wales who had died weeks previously. The dogs had become feral, the charity said at the time, and were suffering severe skin conditions. A relative of the dead man had phoned the RSPCA for help.
The charity assessed the dogs and concluded they could not be rehomed due to ‘aggressive behaviour and lack of socialisation’. Officers decided that the most humane form of euthanasia would be to use the captive bolt.
Safest method
At the time a spokesman said: “This would minimise distress to the dogs, while also being the safest method for those people responsible for dealing with the animals.
Restraining the dogs and then shaving a limb to prepare for a lethal injection would have caused these animals unnecessary suffering, due to the animals suffering from a severe skin condition.”
As part of its recent deliberations on whether to use the method again, the charity asked the opinion of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), and the matter was discussed by its Advisory Committee.
This week’s Veterinary Record states that an expert on slaughter methods had indicated to the RSPCA that the use of a captive bolt gun was a humane method of euthanasia. But the Advisory Committee decided that using it on smaller animals was inappropriate and that its use for the euthanasia of dogs was unlikely to be acceptable to the public. There were more appropriate methods, the committee agreed.
It was reported in the Veterinary Record that at the RCVS Council’s meeting, Roger Eddy questioned whether the decision had been made on the grounds of public acceptability or on the basis of science and veterinary knowledge. There were occasions where it was appropriate to use a captive bolt gun to kill a dog, he said, and they could be used to kill other smaller farm animals such as injured or unfit young pigs.
Guidance from the American Veterinary Medical Association indicated that use of a penetrating captive bolt gun was an effective and acceptable method of euthanasia for dogs, he said.
Mr Eddy thought the RCVS should not tell the RSPCA that the use of a captive bolt gun was unacceptable for reasons of public acceptability when there was scientific evidence saying that it was a sound method.
“We all know that this is not going to be a widespread use but I can promise you that there are times when it is necessary,” he said.
However, RCVS senior vice-president Jill Nute said that if the bolt gun was not positioned properly it might not kill the animal outright.
“The use of barbiturates is a better method if euthanasia for smaller animals,” she said.
http://www.dogworld.co.uk/News/24-Bolt
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