In the Urals, a pack of dogs killed a seven-year-old girl on a playground; last week, shepherd dogs attacked a pensioner; the woman died on the spot. AiF.ru found out from dog training instructor and competition judge Sergei Saltykov whether it is possible to escape from animals, what absolutely cannot be done in their presence, and whether these animals have weak points.
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What not to do?
1. Look deeply into the eyes and scream. In animals, looking into the eyes is a challenge. When you look at a dog, he takes it for aggression. And he begins to react to this in his own way: to attack.
2. Wave your arms. Dogs understand perfectly well when their potential opponent is confused, which means that at this moment they can attack him, he does not pose a danger.
3. Run. The dog's prey instinct will turn on, and even if it did not intend to attack you, in 90% of cases it will do so.
4. Use pepper or gas spray. These drugs will not have any effect on her, but will only cause aggression.
“If there is a mongrel in front of you, you must understand that, due to its highly developed instinct of self-preservation, it never attacks a person head-on, it always attacks from behind,” continues Sergei. - Maybe, for example, grab your legs. Service dogs are not afraid of humans, so they don’t care which side they attack from.”
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How the procedure works
In order for euthanasia to be approved, it is necessary to write an application, perhaps even more than one. This is done in order to confirm the patient’s sincere desire to take such a serious step. A special commission, which must include doctors, psychologists and lawyers, considers the indications for the procedure, studies the patient’s medical history and makes a final decision.
The commission members also evaluate the patient’s ability to make independent, informed decisions. The attending physician must make sure that the pathology is indeed incurable and there are no methods that can alleviate the patient’s condition.
If the patient does not change his decision during the inspection, and the commission finds compelling reasons to approve euthanasia, the preparation of documentation and the selection of medications begins. The procedure can only be performed by a doctor.
First, the patient is administered strong narcotic analgesics, and then drugs intended directly for euthanasia. They are made on the basis of barbiturate. The medication is administered into the patient's body parenterally.
How to prevent dog attacks?
1. Spin around yourself. Before an attack, dogs usually begin to walk around their victim in a circle. So they wait for the moment when it is safe to attack themselves. In this case, you should try to still stand face to face with the dog. If she starts to circle around you, do the same, just don't lose sight of her. But try to avoid direct eye contact.
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2. Place your hands width apart and walk towards the dog. Pretend that you want to catch it and slowly move towards the animal. A weak dog will most likely leave, a strong one will understand that you are a worthy opponent, and therefore will think before attacking.
3. Crouch behind the “rock.” If there are no stones nearby, just pretend to bend over to pick it up. The dog understands that you are going down for the weapon, which means that if it doesn’t leave right away, it will at least increase the distance between you.
4. Feel free to throw stones at her. Try to hit the dog, optimally the head. If you throw a stone past, feeling sorry for the animal, you can only anger it.
5. When you see a pack of dogs, press yourself against the wall. The main thing is that the pack cannot get around you from behind and attack when you are least protected. As long as they see that you are in control of the process, they will delay the attack.
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6. Put your bag, umbrella or any other item forward. They may mistake the bag for a weapon, realize that the victim is unsafe, and leave. The main thing is not to wave this object.
7. Identify the leader in the pack. This is usually the most aggressive and largest male. If attacked, try to hit him. Seeing that you have defeated the leader, the other members of the pack will retreat. Try to scare him away with stones.
8. When the dog gets as close to you as possible, hit it on the nose, ribs and groin area. These are the most vulnerable places for dogs. Once she feels pain, she may retreat.
9. Carry an ultrasonic repeller with you. It will be especially useful for people living near garages and industrial areas. People cannot hear ultrasound, but dogs immediately try to hide from it as far as possible.
10. Don't be shy to call for help. When people approach, dogs are likely to move away.
Where is euthanasia legalized?
Currently, euthanasia is officially permitted in the following states:
- Netherlands. The law was adopted in 2002. At the same time, a list of conditions was approved that are a significant justification for making this decision. Moreover, each case of euthanasia is reviewed by a special “ethics committee”, which approves or rejects the procedure.
- Belgium. The country also adopted a law in 2002, following the Netherlands. Its provisions apply only to citizens of the state permanently residing in Belgium. The basis for euthanasia is unbearable physical suffering that cannot be alleviated by existing medications.
- Switzerland. In this country, the procedure is allowed to be carried out not only by citizens, but also by foreigners who have expressed their will to die. Special clinics have been created in the state to carry out euthanasia.
- USA. The procedure is not legalized throughout the country. Oregon was the first state to allow euthanasia. Then Washington followed suit, and then Montana. Several years ago, “artificial death” was allowed in seven more states, including California, Hawaii, New Jersey and some others.
- Canada. By law, euthanasia can be carried out only by citizens of the state who have reached the age of majority. The procedure is not performed for foreigners. Most of the country's population actively supports allowing euthanasia, which can help sick people stop suffering and die peacefully. Canadians believe that death must be “justified and foreseeable.”
- Mexico. In this country, euthanasia will be allowed in 2022. Then the “Law on Death with Dignity” was adopted and conditions were approved in which the procedure would be justified.
In 2022, New Zealand held a referendum and vote to legalize euthanasia. The initiative was supported by more than 60% of the country's residents. The law is currently under development and will come into force very soon.
Options for putting a cat to sleep temporarily
Euthanasia refers to a reversible process, as a result of which the pet falls asleep under the influence of medications, and not on its own. All of them affect certain parts of the brain.
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How to put a cat to sleep? Temporary induction of sleep is carried out using:
- Droperidol is a neuroleptic drug from the butyrophenone subgroup, with a sedative and tranquilizing spectrum of action. The drug stops motor activity, relaxes muscles, and is often used in premedication.
- Proforol - a general analgesic effect is achieved by depression of the central nervous system and is produced in the form of an emulsion.
- Proforol is a muscle relaxant classified as a curare-like substance.
- Ditilina - relaxes muscle tissue, slows down the heartbeat and heart function.
- Thiopental - causes a state resembling deep anesthesia.
- Dimetrol - with a hypnotic effect due to central nervous system depression.
- Zolarepam is a pain reliever.
The listed medications are not a complete list of medications used in animal hospitals. Most of them cannot be purchased at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.
Important! Sleeping pills for cats cannot be used at will. Incorrect dosage selection will cause serious poisoning, and in difficult cases, death.
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Before a long trip, moving, getting a haircut or visiting a veterinarian, you can use mild sedatives or homeopathic medications. They are prescribed by a doctor when participating in cat shows or when adding a second animal to the house. Popular sleeping aids for cats for transport that allow them to be easily trimmed include:
Kot Bayun - sleeping pills for cats
- Kot Bayun - produced in tablets and tincture, intended for oral administration. It contains medicinal plants and has a moderate sedative effect.
- Stop Stress - relieves the effects of nervous overload, calms. The mild effect is due to the component composition: mint, motherwort, hops.
- Fitex - calms, normalizes sleep, improves the condition of the nervous system. Made in drops, it contains valerian, motherwort and hops.
Important! Herbal medicines are the best option for a nervous kitten who hasn’t slept for days. They are not addictive with prolonged use.
Methods of painless euthanasia
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The method refers to irreversible processes, with the deliberate deprivation of the life of an animal under constant control. During the manipulations, dysfunction of the nervous, cardiac, and pulmonary systems gradually occurs.
Important! The technique is intended to stop the torment of a hopelessly ill organism - for good. For the animal it is painless.
How do they euthanize sick cats in veterinary clinics? Regardless of the location, the process takes place in several steps:
- The pet owner signs all necessary documents confirming his consent to the procedure. The decision is made voluntarily; no one can force the owner of a sick animal to agree to the operation. The veterinarian's opinion does not matter.
- The cat is given a sleeping pill or painkiller, with which it falls asleep and completely loses sensitivity. If such a clause is not stipulated in the contract of a pet clinic or field specialist, then it means they are working on scammers.
- Muscle relaxants are administered after confirmation of the transition to the deep phase of sleep - the pet does not feel anything and does not react to external stimuli. The result of their action will be a gradual slowdown in muscle activity, stopping the work of the heart muscle and stopping breathing.
- The heart is listened to; if there are no contractions, death is declared.
Medicines
The owner can be with the cat being euthanized at all times or refuse to attend the procedure. Before carrying out the manipulations, the veterinarian describes in detail all phases, focusing on key points. Doctors advise standing near the pet only during the introduction of anesthesia, and then leaving the manipulation room. After the administration of muscle relaxants, convulsions occur, which are perceived as a painful reaction to the injection.
Sedatives
Veterinary clinics can use:
- Xylazine hydrochloride;
- Xila;
- Xylanite;
- Rometar.
Important! The drugs are analogous in their spectrum of action and are used in veterinary medicine for a sedative effect. In large dosages, the drugs provoke respiratory arrest.
Anesthetics
Painkillers include:
- Pentobarbital sodium;
- Sodium etaminal;
- Sodium thiopental;
- Propofol;
- Droperidol;
- Zolazepam.
Medicines are responsible for suppressing the central nervous system, placing the patient under deep anesthesia, and can provoke a stop in the functioning of the respiratory center.
Muscle relaxants
Block neuromuscular conduction. When euthanasia can be used:
- Ardoin;
- Aperomide;
- Vero-Pipecuronium.
Antiarrhythmic
In veterinary medicine they use:
- Lidocaine;
- Versatis;
- Xylocaine;
- Helicain.
Large dosages cause cardiac arrest due to the cardiotoxic effect.
Important! It will not be possible to legally kill a healthy cat - not a single station will undertake the procedure without reason.
When contacting dubious specialists, you can expect painful and long agony for a dying animal - most of them break the rules and administer muscle relaxants without anesthesia, leaving the pet to suffocate in full consciousness.
Cost of euthanasia in a veterinary clinic
How much does it cost to euthanize a sick cat? Price depends:
- depending on the regional location of the clinic - in small towns the cost is lower than in big cities;
- veterinary hospital level;
- pet's body weight;
- additional services - travel to home conditions, subsequent cremation.
The average price varies from 500 to 5000 rubles; in Moscow, the average cost of the procedure is about 2750 rubles. A doctor’s visit to your home will increase the total cost by 1000-1500 rubles, cremation will add 500 or more rubles.
Euthanasia of an incurable cat is not murder, but an opportunity for the animal to stop suffering. The procedure will stop the suffering of the animal and its owner - the latter will not worry about his own helplessness.
"Human irresponsibility"
It was Petryuk who oversaw the work of two organizations that, under a contract with the mayor’s office, were engaged in catching stray dogs. There are no municipal animal shelters in Krasnoyarsk, a million-strong city, and there never have been, and the authorities involve private owners in the work. The largest private shelter for dogs in the city is “Homeless Dog”. This is where the dogs live, which were caught in the place where the bodies were found.
The old concrete building is located not far from the city highway, next to it is a fence behind which dogs of different stripes walk. The head of the shelter, Svetlana Zagumennikova, practically lives there. Leaves only for business trips.
“I have a difficult job,” she explains as we climb the stairs to her office. “But all this needs to be supported somehow.”
“Homeless Dog” works according to the OSVV program: catching - sterilization - vaccination - return. The purpose of this method, Zagumennikova emphasizes, is to protect people.
“By catching dogs, we not only sterilize them, but also vaccinate them against rabies: in this way they contain the epidemic threshold for rabies in the city. They killed a vaccinated dog - a wild one came into its territory, and no one knows what infections it is carrying. If there were no vaccinated dogs in the city, foxes, wolves, and gophers would regularly come out to us.”
The Krasnoyarsk Agrarian University calculated that the ecological background of Krasnoyarsk is 3 thousand dogs. This is a biological niche that must be filled in order to deter wild animals from entering the city and destroy rats that live in garbage dumps. The rat is a natural food enemy for dogs and eats the same food that they eat. The rat carries about 50 diseases, 36 of which are transmitted to humans, including rabies. Now, says the director of Homeless Dog, 6 thousand dogs roam freely on the streets of the city, including those that have been abandoned and those that are on their own. Zagumennikova calls both “human irresponsibility.”
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