Is it ok to kill as an act of compassion?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

As far as mercy goes, I live on a main road. I am a gun owner, a knife collector, & a vegan. Putting an animal out of it's misery can be a very difficult decision, as it's difficult to see how badly the animal is injured sometimes. If an animal is lying on the ground dying, absolutely without a doubt end the poor animals misery. I would want someone to do the same for me if I were in that situation. But, how dirty do you want to get your hands? A hunting knife will leave a big mess...

Most animals injured do not last long in the wild. More commonly, a deer hit by a car will be filled with adrenaline. Enough to be able to walk (temporarily). I would let nature take it's course & let the animal do what it knows it has to.

Very touchy subject in most cases. Depends on the situation. But in any case, being stabbed or cut sounds like a pretty painful death.

There's no amount of emotion I can type on here to describe the look of fear I have seen in a deers eyes as a hunter picked her up and threw her in the back of his pickup truck, still alive. Do what's right.

Stated above.

Hmmm... I wouldn't have killed it, but you do have to think - Nature has it's own balance, but being that someone has hit that animal, they have interfered with the balance. So either way, really, it would be hard to tell how severe the animal's injuries were withou really examining it, and that might risk hurting the animal!
Best wishes!

You can always take them to the wild life center or take to a vet who offers care to wild, large and small animals. Too big to fit in your car? Try your hardest to get a truck.. you injured the animal, so it should be your duty to do all you can to see to the animal's well being.. jmo

I know we don't like to kill. However, in the case that the victim is suffering and has no chance of getting better, it's simply the more humane option.

I believe people with terminal illnesses should have the option of euthanasia as well, but perhaps that's a more complex issue.

f it "is still up and walking" the injury might not be as horrible as you think it is. If you are untrained with these kinds of issues, the best option is to call those who are.

if theyre in pain then you should put them out of it. and of course the animal is going to die no matter what unless it just so happens that a vet drives by and stops to help the animal. otherwise just put it out of their misery

I recommend it, if the animal is doomed to suffer and will be unable to recover, it seems the only humane thing to do.

take it to the animal shelter

I would say no...until you have exhausted all options. Once no more options exist I could see doing your best to give them a quick and painless death.

I always think in situations like you describe it is best too get them out of the road and into a safe area and if they aren't hurt too badly leave them alone. Try and do the least amount of meddling. If they are badly injured take them too a vet or a sanctuary who can take care of them.

I always feel odd getting involved with an animals natural life (meaning, not farmed animals, animals for breeding, animals used for other humyn purposes) Sometimes they obviously need help but other times it is harder to say. It is a difficult thing to deal with but I guess when in doubt go with your heart. Hopefully it will lead you in the right path and if you make a mistake don't beat yourself up over it. We all make mistakes but the problem is sometimes we don't learn from them and we repeat ourselves but you seem like someone who is bright enough not to do that.

I have a friend (hardcore vegan) who shot a cat because she thought she was really suffering and in danger and pain so she was very careful about it and made sure not too miss or anything but I don't know if I could or would do that (My shot isn't that great and other reasons not because I hate guns or something).

BTW another friend of mine collects knives and has a hunting style knife that says "Animal liberation" on it. Don't feel odd. Vegans are an eclectic bunch. I know of many vegans who go shooting or do archery or other things you wouldn't expect and some who would be completely against it.

vegan because animals are not proeprty

This really depends on where your stance of compassion lies. It is different for many people. I personally would kill the animal, lets think about this logically. Most people & yourself included are vegetarians/vegan for reasons of compassion or moral ethics. ie they see that harming another animal is wrong, so this should apply across the board in every situation as a universal truth.
However here we have a lesser of two evils as you state ''leave the animal to die in pain OR kill it'' you are merely the observer of the event, you didn't put the animal into that position of pain & therefore are no more guilty of letting the animal suffer by nature. By opting to kill the animal you are now involved & not an observer anymore, do you personally see this as wrong to murder the animal or in this specific case that it is compassion? I can't answer this for you as our thought of compassion will not be the same
Death is never going to be a nice process, we all have to suffer some amount before passing like.

Just a thought or two.
vegetarian
whenever faced with these situations be it real or hypothetical, think logically not with emotions.