LogoDays End Farm Horse Rescue, Inc.

Founded 1989

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EUTHANASIA GUIDELINES

All decisions regarding euthanasia are extremely difficult and are made in consultation with our Veterinarians.  Management staff do not take the decision to euthanize lightly. Days End Farm Horse Rescue is not a Sanctuary and was never intended to be. We are a rescue facility and as such we rescue Equines in conjunction with Animal Care and Control Authorities throughout Maryland and the East Coast. We do what we can to bring them back to health and when possible find new homes capable of caring for them.

Some make a full recovery and some are more challenging and need more medical or farrier assistance. We document the initial condition of the rescued equines as received and throughout their recovery. We testify to those facts for the States Attorney during prosecution. If temperament and overall condition allows them to be placed for adoption and suitable new owners can be located, they are adopted; on occasion that may not be possible due to the projected lifelong expense of their care, dangerous temperament or the daily pain they endure; occasionally some of those equines may be humanely euthanized.

As a rule, Days End Farm Horse Rescue does not employ euthanasia as a method of population control should we become overwhelmed with horses, however, as difficult as we find it to contemplate, there may come a time when, for humane reasons, we need to consider euthanasia for one of more of our horses having met the criteria mentioned above.

Choosing whether, or when, to end a beloved animal's life is the hardest decision we ever have to make regarding the horse's welfare. However, it may be one of the most responsible and compassionate things we can do for our horse at that time. The decision to euthanize, or induce a painless death, is never made without careful consideration.

There is a wide range of circumstances under which we might consider euthanasia a reasonable and responsible choice.Among the most common of these are:

  • Incurable or progressive disease
  • Incurable or transmissible disease
  • Chronic or severe lameness
  • Inoperable colic
  • Foals born with serious defects
  • Severe debilitation in old age
  • Severe traumatic injury
  • Dangerous behavioral traits
  • Undue suffering for any reason
Every case is unique. Even in similar situations, the decision to euthanize an animal is highly individual and never taken lightly by the staff, our Veterinarians or our Board of Directors. For example, in the case of a severe traumatic injury, such as a broken leg, the animal's psychological makeup can influence the outcome. Some horses may respond better to treatment than others; some are more cooperative than others; and some have a higher pain tolerance than others.

Euthanasia is often a highly emotional issue. Yet it is important to address the situation from a practical standpoint as well. Whether you are dealing with an emergency, chronic pain or a long-term illness, we discuss the following questions with our veterinarian to help us decide what is right for a particular horse:

  • Is the horse suffering?
  • How long will the horse experience the current level of pain or debility?
  • Does the horse continue to show an interest and desire to live, or has it become depressed or despondent?
  • What kind of special care will the horse require, and can we or an adopter meet its needs?
  • Can we continue to provide for the horse financially?
  • What are the alternatives?
  • Is the condition chronic or incurable?
  • Does the immediate condition suggest a hopeless prognosis for life?
  • Is the horse a hazard to himself or his handlers?
Our veterinarians provide us with current medical information that helps us fully understand the implications for our horse’s future. They also explain the options available to us.