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Vets have the best interests of the animals they treat at heart. Sometimes that also means ending an animal's life. As a vet, how do you come to a decision like this? And what do you do when an animal’s owner has a different opinion? It is not always clear who has ultimate responsibility. "Talk to each other! We don’t do that anywhere near enough."

Despite their busy schedules, the three vets gratefully accepted the invitation to talk to each other about euthanasia in animals. Ellen Deelen, assistant professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, , vet at the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Farm Animal Practice, and , companion animal vet at Dierenkliniek Kerkelanden, are happy to make time to chat. They are curious to find out the sort of issues their colleagues face in this field, one that is very relevant to them.

Sensitive subject

Euthanasia seems to be a sensitive subject that vets rarely discuss among themselves, even though they often have to deal with it. "I had to put another calf to sleep this morning", says Segeren. "Sometimes I have to put animals down several times a week", he says. "In the 10 years that I’ve worked here, I’ve put hundreds of animals down. That may seem like a lot, but I’ve treated thousands of animals too."

What immediately stands out in the conversation is the affectionate way the vets talk about animals' lives – even when it comes to bringing them to an end. "There is also something beautiful about putting a sick animal to sleep", says Dijkhorst. "Making that decision together with an owner is special. And often, if I don't put an animal to sleep, the animal suffers as a result and, ultimately therefore, so does its owner."

I’ve had to put hundreds of animals to sleep, but I’ve also treated thousands of animals.

Slipping away peacefully

Segeren also points out that euthanasia can be beautiful. "Especially when the vet and the owner agree that there’s no point in keeping an animal alive any longer. The procedure itself is usually quick and the animal usually slips away peacefully."

Putting an animal down requires the consent of the animal’s owner. This may make a vet feel powerless if they are convinced, for example, that euthanasia is the best option, whereas the animal’s owner doesn’t see it that way. But the opposite also happens: In other words, when an animal’s owner wants to put their animal to sleep even though there are still other options.

"Animal welfare is always the key principle in a decision like this", says Segeren. "But all sorts of factors come into play. What’s the main purpose for which the animal is kept? People treat a sheep at a petting zoo differently from a sheep on a livestock farm. Sometimes an owner can’t guarantee to look after an animal properly. In that case, as a vet, you will make a different decision to the one you would make if you knew someone was taking good care of the animal."

Isn't that a bit difficult sometimes?

"It is, but you have to take that into consideration in your decision. Is an owner willing to provide the care that is needed? You also look at the life that an animal still has ahead of it: Is it a young animal, or is it an old animal with different prospects? You take all these kinds of factors into account in your decision to put an animal to sleep."

Is this process different in companion animals?

Dijkhorst: "No, in principle the same factors are at play here, but with horses and production animals there’s also an economic interest. The sole function of companion animals is companionship. So it’s easier for me to just focus on the animal’s quality of life."
But an animal always has an owner who has to look after it, she adds. "Chronic conditions, such as kidney disease or diabetes, involve intensive treatments. Sometimes an animal may need medication up to four times a day. In that case, as a vet, I may want to pull out all the stops, but if I see that an owner can’t follow my advice or isn’t motivated to do so, I don't do that. This isn’t always unwillingness on the part of the owners, it’s often a lack of understanding or the fact that it’s impractical, if people are also unpaid carers, for example. Financial constraints can also be a reason not to pursue treatment. If I don’t have sufficient confidence that owners can actually deliver the care, I sometimes prefer to put the animal to sleep a bit sooner. The animal’s quality of life is always the most important thing, I keep a close eye on that."

Leaving with a very sick animal

It gets more complicated when the vet thinks that the time has come, but the owners are not yet ready. Dijkhorst: "Sometimes people leave with a very sick animal because they can't handle the decision and we don't see them again. I want to avoid that at all costs. That’s why I always try to maintain a dialogue with an owner as far as I can."

Not every owner listens to the vet's advice either. Dijkhorst: "Sometimes we’ll agree that an owner should come back in three months’ time with their cat, which has a thyroid disorder, and they end up coming back a year later with an emaciated animal. 'He's still doing really well, you know!' I find that really difficult. You get better and better at gauging how best to advise and guide people, but, at the end of the day, it’s up to the individuals themselves. And things do go wrong sometimes, you don't have control over everything."

The other day, someone wanted her chicken to be put down. The animal clucked too loudly and the neighbours had complained.

Chicken clucks too loudly

Sometimes the situation is downright bizarre. "The other day, someone brought a chicken into the clinic. The animal looked splendid with all its feathers and was definitely alive and kicking. The owner asked if I could put the chicken down because it was clucking too loudly; the neighbours had complained. Clearly I'm not going to do that." She adds, with a grin: "The owner didn't want to take the animal back with them, so I was stuck with a chicken." Fortunately, Dijkhorst quickly found someone to adopt it and the chicken lived to tell the tale.

Choosing between two evils

As Ellen Deelen knows only too well, the decision to put an animal down can demand a lot of a vet. She completed her PhD on the subject in April 2024 and spoke to vets about how they fulfil their professional role, and what factors are taken into account in a decision of this nature. Her thesis received a lot of media attention and she found that the subject is also very much alive within the profession. "Euthanasia in animals is not as strictly regulated as it is in humans, the process can be quite complex. This sometimes makes it difficult to predict what the best option is for an animal in medical terms. In that case, it's essentially choosing between two evils."

These complicated life-and-death decisions affect a vet's job satisfaction. "Many students start their training with the intention of 'caring for animals'. And sometimes the best way to do that is to put an animal to sleep", says Deelen, explaining the dilemma. "That can be tricky for vets, especially if you’re faced with that choice at a time when euthanasia is already inevitable. How this can affect your job satisfaction is something we should discuss more among ourselves."

Does the degree programme pay enough attention to euthanasia?

They think it could be better. For example, in practice, it is still unclear who has ultimate responsibility for the animal. "In our field, the animal’s owner is responsible for the day-to-day care of their animal, but as a vet, I am also responsible for animal welfare", says Segeren. "Who ultimately makes the decision to euthanise the animal or not? You make that decision in consultation with others, and it usually works out fine, but sometimes it doesn’t. So what do you then do as a vet? I can call in the NVWA, but then you jeopardise your relationship with the livestock farmer. This isn’t covered enough in the degree programme."

Additional legislation or regulation, they say, is not a solution to this dilemma. "You want the profession to be equipped in such a way that you don't need regulation as a guiding tool in such decisions", says Deelen. "The independent position of veterinarians is a real asset when practising your profession, but it can put pressure on professionals in these dilemmas. How should you deal with a client and how do you maintain a good relationship? What does a client do with their animals once they disappear from view? At most, regulation should be an additional backstop for the vet in complicated situations."

Moral pressure

"There are already a lot of rules in the Animals Act", adds Dijkhorst. "Including around animal neglect. Yet in practice, I also see animals that have been neglected, often unknowingly, by their owners. Then I have to find a way to help the animal recover, or start the conversation about ending its life. It’s in those cases you rely on your communication skills. In practical terms, I don’t have ultimate responsibility, but mentally I feel a real sense of responsibility. That creates moral pressure, even among colleagues from time to time. What would help me as a veterinary professional is a clearer framework around who is ultimately responsible. And what I can do if an owner doesn’t take responsibility, so I feel less of that moral pressure and can help the animal."

Ideally, you come to such a decision together with an owner. It often falters when we get involved at the last minute

Should the vet have ultimate responsibility?

"I don't think so and, anyway, they can't", replies Deelen. "As long as the owner takes care of the animal, they have a responsibility towards it. And you also want to make use of their insights: They see the animal every day, you only see it during a consultation. Ideally, you’ll come to a decision like this together with an owner, having had regular conversations with each other beforehand. That’s how you try and avoid complicated situations. We often run into problems if we get involved at the last minute." Segeren thinks it would even be detrimental if vets were to be the only ones with ultimate responsibility. "That way we would be playing the role of the NVWA and we’d become a kind of inspectorate. We shouldn't want that."

Do you have anything you want to say to other vets?

"Talk to each other!" says Segeren. "We don't do that enough. Euthanasia is a sensitive topic, especially among junior vets. Above all, discuss the dilemmas involved in decision-making and communication, because even experienced vets don’t always have a ready-made answer." Dijkhorst also benefits from conversations with colleagues. Moreover, she deliberately takes a moment for herself before deciding whether or not to euthanise an animal. "I do that to ensure I’m making the right decision. It helps me a lot."

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