News Actor Delon - Wants Pet Euthanised When He Dies

[shyvas]

Film legend Delon says he’s ready to die - but his dog must come too - World | The Star Online

I am in disbelief that a vet would actually euthanise a healthy dog.

 

[Poppy]

That guy's pretty full of himself.

25 years ago, my parents euthanized my grandparents' two dogs when my grandfather died, leaving the dogs homeless. The dogs were older, not well housebroken, and lived in another state. I have always had mixed feelings about that decision, as taking them to a pound in East Tennessee may have had them come to a horrifying end.

I am so, so thankful that a good friend said to me a few years back to add her name and phone number to our will/final wishes file and that she would want to become my dogs' caretaker if they should ever need one. What a relief! If it were left up to my parents or children, my dogs would either go to the shelter or be euthanized. (Fortunately, we have a lot of people who love us at the shelter and I know the dogs would be well-cared for, but they would be terrified and then most likely separated. ) But it means the world to me knowing that a true friend has stepped up and will keep them safe and together should they ever have to go through the trauma of losing their home.

I get upset when older people insist they want to adopt puppies and kittens. My mother is 80 and is downsizing this spring. I know that once she and my dad have moved, they're going to want to get a kitten or young cat. I can't even talk to her about it - she wants what she wants. Fortunately, she has me, and although I cannot have cats here, I will certainly make sure it will end up with a good home - but crap, it's such a selfish decision to adopt an animal who'll more than likely outlive you. Like that guy^^^ above.

 

[PTree15]

Seriously, he couldn't prepare by asking a friend who loves animals to take the dog if that becomes necessary? Also, he sounds like a first-class jerk as a human being.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

That guy's pretty full of himself.

I get upset when older people insist they want to adopt puppies and kittens. My mother is 80 and is downsizing this spring. I know that once she and my dad have moved, they're going to want to get a kitten or young cat. I can't even talk to her about it - she wants what she wants.

Had it occurred to you that your mother and father may outlive you? My sister outlived 2 of her 3 children. I think old people need cats and dogs far more than younger people. Old people can be with the animals 24/7. Not many young people can do that. And just as your mother might have to learn to live her life without your father, their pet(s) would also adapt to life without their former owners.
What's wrong with Alain Delon is not that he owns an animal despite his advanced years but that he wants to have the animal killed.

 

[Poppy]

Had it occurred to you that your mother and father may outlive you? My sister outlived 2 of her 3 children. I think old people need cats and dogs far more than younger people. Old people can be with the animals 24/7. Not many young people can do that. And just as your mother might have to learn to live her life without your father, their pet(s) would also adapt to life without their former owners.
What's wrong with Alain Delon is not that he owns an animal despite his advanced years but that he wants to have the animal killed.

Of course it's occurred to me that my parents might outlive me; however, since they are now both 80, it's highly unlikely they will outlive any kitten/young cat they might adopt. I'm not suggesting they live without pet companionship, but that they consider adopting a senior cat, which they are opposed to because of the potential costs of having an older animal. I find a surprising number of people don't make arrangements for pet care should they not be able to come home for whatever reason.

 

[shyvas]

Had it occurred to you that your mother and father may outlive you? My sister outlived 2 of her 3 children. I think old people need cats and dogs far more than younger people. Old people can be with the animals 24/7. Not many young people can do that. And just as your mother might have to learn to live her life without your father, their pet(s) would also adapt to life without their former owners.
What's wrong with Alain Delon is not that he owns an animal despite his advanced years but that he wants to have the animal killed.

It tells you a lot about him self.

Of course it's occurred to me that my parents might outlive me; however, since they are now both 80, it's highly unlikely they will outlive any kitten/young cat they might adopt. I'm not suggesting they live without pet companionship, but that they consider adopting a senior cat, which they are opposed to because of the potential costs of having an older animal. I find a surprising number of people don't make arrangements for pet care should they not be able to come home for whatever reason.

I agree. I would urge anyone to make arrangements for their pets to be adopted regardless of their age. My cousin who is in her 90 's adopted a pooch from a shelter. The condition was that her daughter adopt the mite when she dies.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

Of course it's occurred to me that my parents might outlive me; however, since they are now both 80, it's highly unlikely they will outlive any kitten/young cat they might adopt. I'm not suggesting they live without pet companionship, but that they consider adopting a senior cat, which they are opposed to because of the potential costs of having an older animal. I find a surprising number of people don't make arrangements for pet care should they not be able to come home for whatever reason.

I have more experience of dogs than cats but my cat and my son's cat were/are pretty oblivious of everyone else in the house, as long as they're being fed. Cats are more attached to places than people in my experience. I bet if your mum died and you rehomed the cat, it would go back to the home it had lived in with your mum and it's entirely possible that the new people in your mum's house would accept that the cat came with the purchase of the house. Maybe your dad would like a second hand car too, as he's unlikely to live that long!? Pets are SO good for old people and of course the young animals are especially attractive to them, just as they are to younger people. I am sure that old people are less likely to abandon animals than young people are - that is certainly the case in Spain.

 

[Poppy]

I have more experience of dogs than cats but my cat and my son's cat were/are pretty oblivious of everyone else in the house, as long as they're being fed. Cats are more attached to places than people in my experience. I bet if your mum died and you rehomed the cat, it would go back to the home it had lived in with your mum and it's entirely possible that the new people in your mum's house would accept that the cat came with the purchase of the house. Maybe your dad would like a second hand car too, as he's unlikely to live that long!? Pets are SO good for old people and of course the young animals are especially attractive to them, just as they are to younger people. I am sure that old people are less likely to abandon animals than young people are - that is certainly the case in Spain.

While pets may be "SO good" for old people, shouldn't the real concern be what is best for the pets? Is is ok to have pets primarily because they are good for us, or should we be looking at what is best for the animals? And while I have no statistics on animal abandonment vs. owner age, owners dying (or going into retirement homes that don't accept pets) seems to me to be a pretty common way for animals to be abandoned into the pound system.

 

[Calliegirl]

Thankfully, most legitimate rescues take age into consideration. I believe most won't adopt a very young animal or high energy breed to an elderly person. Aside from them most likely dying before the animal, most are not physically active enough to give them enough exercise and they expect the animal to be calm and lay around which is completely unfair to the animals. Puppies, kittens, and especially certain high energy breeds need someone who can give them a lot of daily exercise and play.

I have more experience of dogs than cats but my cat and my son's cat were/are pretty oblivious of everyone else in the house, as long as they're being fed. Cats are more attached to places than people in my experience. I bet if your mum died and you rehomed the cat, it would go back to the home it had lived in with your mum and it's entirely possible that the new people in your mum's house would accept that the cat came with the purchase of the house. Maybe your dad would like a second hand car too, as he's unlikely to live that long!? Pets are SO good for old people and of course the young animals are especially attractive to them, just as they are to younger people. I am sure that old people are less likely to abandon animals than young people are - that is certainly the case in Spain.

If that were true, then considering how many cats are rescued or surrendered to shelters and rescues, and then rehomed, I would expect the majority of them would leave their new homes in search of the old ones, and I can tell you, this does not happen. They are attached to people, and I've seen some that become very depressed when their owner dies or are dumped at a shelter by their family.

Maybe your dad would like a second hand car too, as he's unlikely to live that long!?

Wow, I can't believe you are attempting to compare a living breathing creature with an inanimate object.

 

[Mischief]

All of my cats have moved with me at least once, and several have moved with me several times. They are pretty adaptive, as long as you take their needs into proper consideration during a move.

I can't begin to tell you how many cats I've known of who have been left "with the house" when their people have moved, and what horrible fates almost all of them met. I would cheerfully dump anyone who does that to their animals on a barren deserted island to fend for themselves.

I agree wholeheartedly that seniors should adopt senior animals, and then make provisions for them in case they don't outlive them. My sister and I are now focused on outliving as many of our animals as possible.

If I were rich, I would start a rescue that focuses on placing animals with old people, with the proviso that the animals will return to the shelter if the humans die or otherwise can't continue to care for them.

 

[Mischief]

I read the interview. The guy is really full of himself. He has enough money that he can make proper provision for his dog.

There are cases where I would very much consider having an animal put down rather than going into a shelter. A number of my cats remain n feral in temperament. They are simply not adoptable. And anyone who is chronically ill, with high medical and care needs, is not going to be adoptable either.

 

[PTree15]

All of my cats have moved with me at least once, and several have moved with me several times. They are pretty adaptive, as long as you take their needs into proper consideration during a move.

I can't begin to tell you how many cats I've known of who have been left "with the house" when their people have moved, and what horrible fates almost all of them met. I would cheerfully dump anyone who does that to their animals on a barren deserted island to fend for themselves.

I agree wholeheartedly that seniors should adopt senior animals, and then make provisions for them in case they don't outlive them. My sister and I are now focused on outliving as many of our animals as possible.

If I were rich, I would start a rescue that focuses on placing animals with old people, with the proviso that the animals will return to the shelter if the humans die or otherwise can't continue to care for them.

I cannot imagine leaving a pet behind with the house. Theo has moved twice with me, and yes, it's an adjustment, but it has worked out fine both times.

 

[Calliegirl]

My cats have lived in quite a few places, and have never left in search of their old homes. I have even traveled with two cats through a couple of states ( I would NOT recommend this and would not do it again). One of the cats I have now was abandoned by their owner when they decided to move and didn't want him. They told me they would leave a big bowl of food for him, but after that he was on his own. Another one was left behind with eyes so badly infected they were sealed shut. And they just left him sitting in the yard, unable to see. I can't describe how much I hate these people.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

I seem to have been misunderstood. I would never abandon an animal.
However I did compare an animal to a car. You can compare anything to anything. Shakespeare compared his boyfriend to a summer's day. He did not mean his boyfriend was like a summer's day in every respect, just in one respect (beauty).
In Spain the perreras are FULL of podenco dogs , left there by young men who use packs of the dogs for hunting.
An old person on the other hand almost never abandons a dog. The old person is the one who is abandoned by their relatives and is forced to leave the dog. That is a failure of our society and the old person is not responsible for anything that is done against their wishes. In the UK there are animal rescue centres who promise never to kill a dog. This is a partial solution but there are others.
I would never accept a dog from a rescue centre and would advise old people to do likewise. It is much easier for an old person to train a puppy of the breed of their choice than an older dog whose history is largely unknown.
I don't think you can generalise about old people and the type of dogs they should adopt. Some old people neglect themselves and give in to old age. Some like Robert Marchand can cycle at 22.5 km per hour at the age of 105.
As I said before, I'm not an expert on cats and I'm not interested in cats.
In general the relationship between us and our pets is a symbiotic one. The animal must suit us and we should suit the animal. My dogs choose me. I choose the breed but not the particular animal.

 

[Moll Flanders]

Also, he sounds like a first-class jerk as a human being.

Exactly, except I would have used a less polite term for him.

It struck me as well that he is complaining about the pain of being abandoned as a kid and at the same time admitting that he has been a **** father to his own children. Ironic.

 

[Mischief]

I would never accept a dog from a rescue centre and would advise old people to do likewise. It is much easier for an old person to train a puppy of the breed of their choice than an older dog whose history is largely unknown.

All of my dogs have been rescues of one kind or another, either adopted from a rescue or dog pound or picked up from the street after being dumped by others. In the case of one of my current dogs, I became her sixth owner. She was only two years old at the time.

They have all been great dogs. I wouldn't give up my time with them for anything in the world. Some of them had emotional issues from their prior lives, but I knew that up front, and adopted them because of that, because I knew I could make a difference, not despite that fact. Others have been the easiest dogs one could wish for.

I really take offense at your characterization of shelter dogs. As a friend of mine says about people who say they "don't want someone else's problem": " Oh, they want the chance to ruin a dog themselves."

 

[Poppy]

I read the interview. The guy is really full of himself. He has enough money that he can make proper provision for his dog.

There are cases where I would very much consider having an animal put down rather than going into a shelter. A number of my cats remain n feral in temperament. They are simply not adoptable. And anyone who is chronically ill, with high medical and care needs, is not going to be adoptable either.

The good news is that things are slowly changing. I've been surprised at how more and more people seem to be willing to consider the aged and the ill. I had a foster shih tzu last spring who was old (15?), blind, had deformed feet which made him mostly immobile, and was matted and hairless in spots. He was a mess. But he was as sweet as he could be and wanted nothing more than to curl up at your feet. He got adopted by a older couple who decided that they were going to spend their later years taking care of animals who needed them most. They had 4 old chihuahuas and then adopted Russet. He had to be on kidney food, liver supplements and joint pain relievers. He only lived 6 months, but they were likely the best 6 months of his life.

Feral(ish) cats are hard, of course.

 

[shyvas]

The good news is that things are slowly changing. I've been surprised at how more and more people seem to be willing to consider the aged and the ill. I had a foster shih tzu last spring who was old (15?), blind, had deformed feet which made him mostly immobile, and was matted and hairless in spots. He was a mess. But he was as sweet as he could be and wanted nothing more than to curl up at your feet. He got adopted by a older couple who decided that they were going to spend their later years taking care of animals who needed them most. They had 4 old chihuahuas and then adopted Russet. He had to be on kidney food, liver supplements and joint pain relievers. He only lived 6 months, but they were likely the best 6 months of his life.

Feral(ish) cats are hard, of course.

What lovely people and what a gorgeous dog.

The man from the local animal shelter has also adopted a few cats ''that nobody wants'' ; one has only one eye another only 3 paws etc. The lady who used to feed the stray cats also couldn't find a foster home for a diabetic cat so the poor mite ended up living at the vets !!!

 

[Calliegirl]

I've never gone out and purposely picked a certain breed, or a certain color, or a certain size animal for a pet. They have all been a rescue animals, someone else's throwaway. I just stepped up to care for them when others wouldn't. I would not contribute to the vanity breeding of animals, especially when there are so many in need of homes.

 

[Amy SF]

I had an elderly neighbor who adopted a kitten. As you can guess, the cat outlived her owner. The woman had stipulated in her will that she wanted the cat euthanized after her death, but another neighbor took the cat, for which I was grateful. The neighbor since moved away, taking the cat with him, so I don’t know if the cat is still alive or even if the neighbor continued to care for the cat after moving away. That was almost ten and a half years ago, so it’s possible the cat isn’t even alive anymore. But this tells me that elderly people should make an effort to find someone willing to take their pet(s) before deciding that healthy, and in many cases, young animals have to die simply because their owner is no longer around.