Research Paper-Euthanasia is necessary but not the first priority, searching possible ways for their living spaces and dignity

Name: Annie
Professor: Mei-Ya Liang
Number: 991002018
Department: English
Course: Sophomore Composition

Date: January 12, 2012

Research Paper-Euthanasia is necessary for stray dogs but not the first priority, searching possible ways for their living spaces and dignity

  I keep caring about the problems stray dogs face before I took this course. Therefore, I think about many problems which stray dogs face when I try to find a focusing aspect of the problem to deal with, and the problems of their living- euthanasia is the problem which draws my attention. I want to find more information about euthanasia. Is there integrated legislation for every step of practicing euthanasia? Do legislators or some people who agree with euthanasia in our society see whole possible conditions and problems when they want to support euthanasia? Is there anything hidden invisible truth about euthanasia which be ignored just in front of our eyes? Thinking of these questions and being eager to explore the answer, I decide my discussing issue of stray dogs to focus on euthanasia.

  After focusing on euthanasia, I find that the circumstances of the shelters for dogs are certainly shabby and poor. For there are always puddles of dirty water all over the floor, cages crowded in tiny spaces, and dogs crowded in cages without any temporary freedom given to them, like walking. Dogs in the shelters first are abandoned by irresponsible owners who can always find excuses for their abundance, and then be sent into the shelters which almost are ill-circumstanced. The treatment to them has no life respect to them, and when it is time for them to go to the end of their lives, the approach for technicians to execute their work duty is even worse. They rudely dragged dogs out instead of gently taking them out with physical comfort, like tender words or gentle petting to them. They ignored the uncontrolled dejections from the living beings which they keep dragging by their own hands instead of caring the revealed fear from them or trying to come up a way to release their fear. They seemly do not hear the begging and bitter crying from dogs and keep increasing their pain through the procedure of taking them to death instead of paying attention to the feeling of dogs and make the real definition of euthanasia “well-death”(Anonymous,p.2) come true. These painful things are only the sufferings dogs have to endure in the beginning of the euthanasia schedule. It is time of the end of their lives when dogs being dragged to their execution ground, however, their death respect are also ignored. The way of euthanasia which called “cardiac puncture”(心臟穿刺法) is a way which uses syringes filled with medicine and stabs right into their hearts. The effect of this medicine is to make hearts paralysis and generally stop working. The right practicing way will end dogs’ agony in one minute. However, the real situation of practicing is that technicians usually stab into their breasts because of the struggling and rebellion from dogs. If medicine goes into their breasts, the medicine will be full in their breasts and make them hard to breathe, they will suffocate to death, and the suffering time will also be longer. It may last for ten minutes or even longer. (The truth of euthanasia in Taiwan, video clip on YouTube) Ignoring their feelings makes the procedure filled with struggling, pain and violence. The result is to let abandoned dogs endure more. Even worse thing is that the corpses of dogs be piled up as mountains and left on the dirty floor then will be sent to incinerators. Euthanasia is urgent to be improved because of lack on concepts of life respect and environmental hygiene after observing the present condition.

  After finding out the reasons which cause problems of present euthanasia, some other problems appear. That is, why does the powerful authority, government seem powerless toward these things? Have they done something no matter encourage or oppose the debating situation of this issue? Or, they in fact constantly ignore this part of social issue? Does their attitude toward euthanasia have any effect on this issue to the society? Another series of questions come up to make me think deeper and more complete.

  News can reveal the present situation of the society and be regarded as an epitome of the society. A piece of news shows the attitude of the government toward euthanasia. (The students who took care of stray dogs had been threatened to be punished by school, video clip on YouTube) The event occurs in Qian Jin(前金) junior high school in Kaohsiung. Three students found stray dogs being abandoned in the campus and wanted to take them back to class to take care of. However, the supervisor, school threatens students to record their demerit for their behavior to dogs and sends dogs to euthanasia. Such measures rouse polemic through general public to criticize school. From this part, it shows authority’s attitude toward stray dogs and euthanasia is to choose the fastest way to deal with the superficial problem. They just make the problem invisible in front their eyes to muddle with their duty. Nevertheless, the problem still exists in the inconspicuous corner and gradually become severer for the data shows that the number of stray dogs keeps increasing. (The truth of euthanasia in Taiwan, video clip on YouTube)

  Authority will affect the fellow people for they have greater power to decide things. Even though the possible alternatives show, they will be concealed because of the reluctant attitude of authority. Power structure is a pyramid-like structure. Majority at the bottom has minor power to wield and can only decide things of their own. Minority, on the contrary, are powerful to decide important things for all. However, this way is using few opinions to decide what major opinions go on developing. The real thoughts will be hidden and cause criticism and recalcitrance.  

  Therefore, if the solution of the problem can not rely on government, the most powerful one to deal with the whole thing, the majority of the society needs to detect on the shortage of their attitude and policy. The necessary thing to do is searching the possible solutions and urging them to change. By finding solutions, devotions and improvement will start processing.

  After finding the problem of executive body, I start to think about the solutions to these problems which are found out. If national measures have to be improved, the foreign measures will be a possible sample for authority to learn. From above passages, lack on concepts of life respect, environmental hygiene and authority’s attitude toward euthanasia and stray dogs is just to muddle with their duty are the problems. Therefore, on the aspects of improving the procedure and concepts will be a set of training plan of technicians. A skillful technician needs to have correct concepts about life because what he is doing is a job about life and he himself also have to educate others to have a correct concepts. Two important factors which make education effective are time and professional degree. A complete program format is a clear illustration which list in “Training Strategies for Research Investigators and Technicians” which written by Stacey L. Conarello and Mary Jo Shepherd. (p.4) It talks about the basic foundation about knowledge of euthanasia to the professional degree built by this program, It has three parts. First, program format is a principal rule for people to grasp the main idea, and the second one is the best-suited material which makes people clear about what is lacked in practice if they want to use the program, and the last one is examples to make the circumstances more vivid and easier to understand. It also provides steps to help readers develop this educational course.

  After seeing a chart which makes readers grasp the principal, this program then draw readers’ attention to its content. First, complete a basic orientation program that is described by Hrapkiewicz (Conarello and Shepherd, p.5) and this program focus on ethical concerns associated with the use of animals in the laboratories, which includes practicing euthanasia in the laboratories. Although experiments are necessary to make improving steps, ethical concerns, which about life respect cannot be ignored. Like its example: 

Surgical training programs for inexperienced personnel should start with didactic sessions presented by the veterinary staff. These sessions should cover all aspects of preoperative care as well as surgical techniques and equipments. The use of appropriate facilities should be discussed, and regulatory requirements concerning surgical facilities should be reviewed. Hands-on technique training should begin with nonliving models. (Conarello and Shepherd, p.5) Having the attitude of decreasing the number of experimental living beings as possible as they can is a way to emphasize the concepts of life respect. More over, it also focuses on “no animal methods of training” (Conarello and Shepherd, p.6), which uses relatively inexpensive models to avoid using living creatures as less as possible. Like an example list below: For a novice to practice injection techniques, a piece of fruit such as an orange can be used for learning how to carefully manipulate a needle and syringe and to develop hand-eye coordination skills (Walshaw 2004, p.6) emphasizes life respect again.

  This program can not only help to improve circumstances of the shelters because technicians will not only simply complete their jobs, but will devote to extension education of this field to common people. They will not regard dogs as a living without feeling, but will make their surviving chances bigger as possible as they can. Therefore, their living places, shelters will also be clean and more comfortable than where they dwell now.

  With even technicians also will make dogs live as possible as they can, the concepts of life respect popularize to common people to urge the whole society, including authority, to respect life on the occasion that even though euthanasia is inevitable, many alternatives should be the first priority instead of euthanasia.

  Therefore, on the aspects of dealing with living stray dogs, the transformation from TNR to CNR is carried out in “The controversy and reflection of relevant disposal of the stray dogs’ issue now in Taiwan”. TNR means trap, neuter, and release, and CNR means catch, neuter, and return. (Anonymous, p.2) The change of the word choice is important because word is a media for definition and people’s understanding toward the word. The definition between trap and catch is that “trap” is more like using traps to catch the dogs and this metaphor will cause harm in their hearts; on the contrary, “catch” does not use any traps to harm them, but just simply catch them. The transformation makes the measure they take closer to real. “Release” also changes to “return”. The transformation is in order to clarify the possible misunderstanding among people. “Release” will make people think of freeing captive dogs as you like. However, the real purpose and measures is that dogs being brought to familiar surroundings for them, and “return” is closer to fact. It is not the measure to let you do what you like without consideration. By clarifying confusing concepts and misunderstanding, the procedure of practicing measures will be much easier and also simpler to gather more power to this field.

  From these possible ways of dealing with different problems of stray dogs, I hope that the difficulties on their survival and controversy will be lesser than before. The major two ways we use to deal with the problems of stray dogs is euthanasia and TNR. However, things seem stopping improvement when we find solutions to the problems, and the shortages are being ignored constantly. Once the solutions are found, they still need to be examined and improved. Only keep going through this process again and again, will the problem be found and solved. Euthanasia is inevitable, but it can not be the first priority in consideration. Making their survival chances as large as possible should be the goal and the first priority. Such as complete training program for euthanasia technicians and the definition of CNR are the little achievement which just reached, and this kind of discussing needs to be continued to find more solutions. To develop more, we can not only improve present measures more, help it become more useful and less of its shortages to make the practicing procedure more plain sailing, but also can range more related fields and gather more varieties of knowledge to come up better thoughts and solutions.

         

Reference:

The truth of euthanasia in Taiwan, video clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiafuah7wX0&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.tw%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26source%3Dvideo%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CEQQtwIwAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253Dyiafuah7wX0%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%25E6%25B5%2581%25E6%25B5%25AA%25E7%258B%2597%25E5%25AE%2589%25E6%25A8%2582%25E6%25AD%25BB%26ctbm%3Dvid%26ei%3D3lWMTurJOabWmAX6y8yoCg%26usg%3DAFQjCNGxZ3kyLtN6AGQdWioqepMhr0y01A%26sig2%3DR8WpMIEVIzuWVx5aOILbiA&ytsession=cxmhU4tkJysxOn8oArJa5UXAs-Mex4QwIXhnU8nAHCzKVWjbZ-pfBPI_Yi22k0ju

The students who took care of stray dogs had been threatened to be punished by school, video clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OoBVvEoEXLc

Stacey L. Conarello and Mary Jo Shepherd(2007)
Training Strategies for Research Investigators and Technicians.ILAR Journal,48,120-130

http://dels-old.nas.edu/ilar_n/ilarjournal/48_2/pdfs/v4802Conarello.pdf

Anonymous (2007)

The controversy and reflection of relevant disposal of the stray dogs’ issue now in Taiwan

http://writing.wwlc.nthu.edu.tw/writcent/index.php/uploaded_files/view/618

Reflection2

After the second meeting, I found when I started to think that giving feedbacks to other’s feedbacks is really hard, for I want to escape some questions which I think I have no ability or am afraid of doing such things. However, when I want to talk about this difficult and debating issue, it means the problem no longer interests me, but also has power to make me to think about the possible solution. Therefore, I have to regard this part as a necessary process that I have to go through. By thinking these challenging problem can make me clarify the confusion may happen or to be close to the understanding of others. Although I do not know the proper answer to each problem, I still try to figure out the possible proper answer.

  The change of my title may be very direct to convey my stand of euthanasia that I actually agree with euthanasia. I found out that I actually try to escape the declaration of my stand. I myself am also struggling with my stand. I am a lover of dogs, so I try to make myself against the practice of euthanasia. However, I can not deny the fact that I agree with the point of view that euthanasia is necessary and inevitable. This kind of power is the pressure, the force for me to face the dilemma I faced. Only when I face that can I touch the centre of the issue and make it as deep as possible.

  In my first two annotations, I tried to talk about the problem of euthanasia and the larger problem which caused the phenomenon of easily accessible euthanasia. In these two annotations, I want to make the problem more vivid to readers to make them realize the severity and make the discussion can be deeper rather than slightly touch the issue. I found that if I want my essay impressive, I have to find unique point that different from others before. However, whether using or inspiring is both difficult. However, I think I am continuing to make progress, no matter it is slight or large.

  In my last two annotations, I try to think up the solution to this problem. I can not just describe the problem because I have to make some devotions. Thinking up a solution is also a hard process because it has to be physical and accessible. If it can only come true in imagination, this will become useless. Therefore, I find out learning and improving from others is important.   

    

Revied Annotation4-Do human really have right to decide the life and death of stray dogs? How can we improve death and living of stray dogs?

Anonymous (2007)

The controversy and reflection of relevant disposal of the stray dogs’ issue now in Taiwan

Revision1: more detailed information about the condition which stray dogs have to face in Taiwan and development of personal thoughts

2. Comparison with abroad circumstances to search the possible results of improvement

This essay gives simple way to think about the problem about how to deal with the problem stray dogs face. There are two main and most accessible way to deal with the problems of stray dogs. One is using euthanasia to end dogs’ lives. Euthanasia is inevitable for there are so many dogs wondering on the road. However, putting them to death is not always necessary. “The other one is TNR, which means trap, neuter, and release (p.2)”.The ideal circumstance we want to create is to let living dogs can remain their living chances as possible as we can. Furthermore, we have to accept euthanasia as a reasonable way to deal this problem. Euthanasia is a controversial issue all the time, the three main problems exist around us is that the education of technical personnel and the proper concepts can not reach the ideal standard. Therefore, “education will be regarded as the best way to improve (p.1)”. The other one is lack of efficient law. Therefore, “legislation comes to be the other way (p.1)”. These two ways are the foundation of two solutions we use. When talking about more specific details, the improvement of euthanasia relates to the definition itself: well death. This definition makes us to urge to find more humane way. On the other hand, the procedure of TNR also needs to have suggestion. After neutering them, we release them. It is the origin process. “The problem is the set goal which is no abandoned dogs does not achieve and they still infect the living circumstance (p.2)”.Therefore, “the originally way which is called TNR starts to transform to CNR, which means Catch, Neuter, and Return to make the meaning more suitable to our pursuing goal(p.2)”. This article raises the improvement we can try to achieve both on stray dog’s living and death.

  Next, when examining the present policy in Taiwan, we can try tothink solution of problem. “Like the thirteenth article of Rules or Regulations for Pet Registry Management: The decision on what way or format the pet ID collars, tags, and microchips are numbered or followed shall be made by the
competent authority at the central level; the purchase of the pet ID collars, tags, and microchips shall be made by the competent authority of municipalities, counties or cities. However, the actual using condition of pet ID collars is that people buy by themselves, and this causes the registers of ID collars inefficient (p.3). Therefore, the management is not efficient. The government does not use its power well, so the effect of the policy is not striking at all. Government does set the policy, but they throw the responsibility of practicing to the group of animal protection. Moreover, the sedulous ignorance and connivance the real and cruel condition their policy made is also the problem exists.

  These revelations of problems mention in this essay can make us think of that government lack their passion to deal with these problems, and the one who will devote into these problems is the group member of fighting the unfair situation stray dogs encounter. Therefore, if we manage the power among the people well, we can not only deal the problem more efficiency than government but also can press them to pay more attention on the problem.   

Annotation4-Do human really have right to decide the life and death of stray dogs? How can we improve death and living of stray dogs?

 Source: The controversy and reflection of relevant disposal of the stray dogs’ issue now in Taiwan

http://writing.wwlc.nthu.edu.tw/writcent/index.php/uploaded_files/view/618

The main idea and purpose of this article:

 現今處置流浪動物的辦法

1. How do we deal with the stray animal’s problems?

More descriptions:

First one which mainly used: euthanasia (death)

1.安樂死的爭議 the controversy of euthanasia

Holland’s law which deals with euthanasia

2. Tom Regan’s book

 THE CASE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

How can we regard animal and human beings the equal?

3. 《動物倫理與公共政策》book: The ethics of animal and public policies

The definition of euthanasia and the connection to Tom Regan

Second one which mainly used: TNR- trap(捕捉)、neuter(結紮)、release(放養) (living)

1.      Introduction of TNR

Why is it common used and what is its shortages?

2.      Transformation to CNR- Catch(捕捉)、Neuter(結紮)、Return(放回原處)

The reason of changing and the introduction of CNR

台灣政府與民間團體的配合

2.      The cooperation of Taiwanese government and civil society organizations

More descriptions:

1.      The formulation of policy in Taiwan

The lack of efficiency

2.      The exertion of civil society organizations

Their devotion

3.      The leading role of scholar institution

How can their profession have devotion?

被放生的動物

3.      animals being free captive

More descriptions:

The problem of abandoning

國內與國外政策之比較與批判

4. Policy comparison between native and abroad

More descriptions:

Differences and possibility of improving

Revised annotation3-Do human really have right to decide the life and death of stray dogs? How can the technical personnel and thesystem of euthanasia be improved?

 Stacey L. Conarello and Mary Jo Shepherd(2007)
Training Strategies for Research Investigators and Technicians.ILAR Journal,48,120-130

Revision1. the abstract view, development of training program

2.the hardship which program encounters anbd their effort to improve

3.Personal oponion is to urge the government and public to gather their effort to the field.

Training Strategies for Research Investigators and Technicians(Conarello& Shepherd,2007)talks about the more ideal way to do euthanasia. There are several parts of analyzing the problem in euthanasia in different aspects. What this paper focuses most is on the training of technical personnel of euthanasia. If technical personnel can be trained professionally, euthanasia can truly be painless. First, it points out the abstract view of the training program. “Training programs for research personnel are discussed as a key resource that must be part of an effective animal care and use program”. (p.1) It simply makes people focus on the training programs for research personnel again. The euthanasia is a big issue which has been discussed for long time, and if the euthanasia has to go on, it has to be improved. The very first one which has to be done is the training program on technicians. Then the goal of improving training program is also mentioned.” Effective training programs for research personnel must meet the needs of the client base (research scientists and staff) so that they are relevant, practical, and timely.”(p.1)

  This paper then mentioned about the reason of techniques of euthanasia. “Research investigators and technicians can be the most challenging group to train because often they have not had formal training in animal care and use such as that required for a master’s degree in laboratory animal science (Mason and Silverman 2001)”. The difficult part of this thing is about education. In the society which focuses on education of high quality and record of formal schooling, people who study in this field is too little and can only be compensated with afterward training. However, to make this program continue, there must be people devoting to. Besides personnel, there must be a relationship between personnel and so-called “client” to support the program. “It is essential to develop training programs with the client in mind. The goal of a program should be to meet the needs of the particular audience: students, investigators, and technicians” (NRC 1991). To complete the program, it lists a format of this program. (p.4) It will be a doable program.

  After seeing this program plan, I can make some questions for our present policy on stray dogs. It is much harder to find a local testing or complete program in Taiwan. Our society ignores this problem for such a long time. It may be hard when you try to practice the program you camp up in your mind. However, the worse thing is people who are willing to devote in this field are so few to support the improvement. Without improvement, things will only remain the same. On the contrary, if more people can devote to this field, things can change with gathered power.

 

Annotation3-Do human really have right to decide the life and death of stray dogs? How can the way of euthanasia improve, what do others do?

Source:Training Strategies for Research Investigators and Technicians
http://dels-old.nas.edu/ilar_n/ilarjournal/48_2/pdfs/v4802Conarello.pdf
Abstract

1.     Training programs for research personnel are discussed as a一key resource that must be part of an effective animal care and use program.

The importance of training research personnel and technical personnel

2.     Effective training programs for research personnel must meet the needs of the client base (research scientists and staff) so that they are relevant, practical, and timely

What is effective training?

Introduction

3.     Research investigators and technicians can be the most challenging group to train because often they have not had formal training in animal care and use such as that required for a master’s degree in laboratory animal science.

Personnel are important because they are the sources of improvement both in the concepts and techniques, but why is the training process hard?

Assessment of Training Needs Through

Targeted Surveys

4.     It is essential to develop training programs with the client in mind. The goal of a program should be to meet the needs of the particular audience: students, investigators, and technicians.

Who can support the relationship between personnel and clients?

Training Coordinator Position

5. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC)

Why is this institution important

The problem talking in annotation1

6.

Basic training protocols are typically species specific and may include methods of restraint, use of anesthetics, monitoring anesthetic depth, blood collection techniques, dosing routes, institutional standards for dosing volumes, and accepted euthanasia methodologies.

 Dealing with the problem about the method of euthanasia which Taiwan used

There is a list for the problems discussing in annotation3, in this article, we can see what the others who care about euthanasia try hard to do about this problem, and we can look back ourselves and reflect what we have done so far? Do we really raise focus of people on this issue, or we just let things going like what is it going from before to now? Reading this article what the great things others have achieved, and how can we learn from and find the way which fits our own condition.

Reflection1

 When I first decided the issue I’m going to talk about, I had thought of many possibilities. Although I love dogs much, I am not really sure that I will be able to talk about this issue deep enough. At first, I had thought about some science topics. However, I finally decided my topic will be focused on stray dogs after I found that a piece of news which is many dogs died because of poison happened again. I have seen such things for many times, nevertheless, this news can be a spur to encourage me to go into this topic.

  After I decided the topic, another problem came out to make me confused again. Issues about stray dogs are too many for me to choose one to talk. Then I read a book which talks many things about stray dogs. I have to admit that it is a complicated book, and I felt even more confused about this big topic. After I read this book, I start to think about this question: Among so many aspects about stray dogs, which one can make me most curious about and can make me have enthusiasm to write about? I finally found about I’m interested about problems about life and death; therefore I choose euthanasia on stray dogs to be the issue I will take about during this semester.

  When I start searching for the sources I want to use for my annotation1, I feel quite nervous that my clip can not grasp the main idea about what I want to talk about. I simply want my readers to think about reasonability of euthanasia. Then I think about the way of euthanasia in shelter, after I watched my clip, I think that shocking facts revealed in this clip maybe can also change people’s original thoughts about euthanasia. Maybe people can also change their opinions about euthanasia. I tried to focus the cruel aspects about this clip. For the reason that I think human being are rational animals. Such things like that may be able to touch people’s hearts, raise their sympathy. This spur of sympathy can make me a chance to change their thoughts.

  When I write my annotation2, I want to find something related to the euthanasia, and I saw this news clip. Then a question appears in my mind: A simple decision human beings made may be nothing or unimportant for them, but it is really a serious problem for animals being made decisions. Because these decisions are about their life, about whether they can keep living or they must die. It also related to the problems about education, so I tried to make it simple. There are so many things to say, but make it simple is what I tried to do. After all, I do not want my focus become obscure. However, after the meeting, I think my article can be more focused on the education of professional people who do stray dogs an euthanasia to change the situation about this in Taiwan now. The main idea is when we compare these things with Europe and America; we can find there is a tremendous gap lagged behind. What is the reason we can not improve?