can't BEAR it................

Airwave!

Mercedes, a polar bear living in a Edinburgh zoo, has been put down, she was suffering 'advanced osteoarthritis', she was 30 years old.

A 65 year old lady close by me with severe RA, breathing problems and heart failure is given more drugs.

I wonder what the bear would have said he she had the choice?

Airwave!

Yes, I would be sympathetic to someone with RA and other defining diseases, what ever choice they wished to make about their future.

I would much rather the bear was living in the wild, but having taken over it's life and put it in a zoo, I can only hope it's treatment was in it's best interest.

They are both important to mankind and more importantly is the fact that we show humanity to all, man or beast.

jillyb1

At times , have wished I'd been humanely put down so can't imagine how a bear could cope with such pain . Think it showed true care and concern to relieve the bear's suffering . Jillyb

katknapp

i know this sounds silly but you have got to think what if it was your pet...obviously you wouldnt have a bear as a pet lol but say it was your dog or cat would you keep it going on drugs?you would watch it suffering it couldnt go and have a hot bath to relieve the pain or use the things we would to aid us,the things we do to relieve pain an animal couldnt so i think you have to look at its quaility of life and its sad but i think it was the right decision,so long as they do everything they could and were not pennypinching......

valval

they would not have put her down unless her quality of life had gone we do treat animals better than we do humans if they had been able to treat her they would have they have the best vet treatment available as they know everyone will be watching there every decision val

valval

it is always sad when any living thing dies but will never be forgotten val

mellman01

Well did anyone listen to Sir David Attenborough this morning on radio 4?, really good he was on about animals ability to recognize the world and those around them and also the concept of them having characters which seems to be true on many levels, even spiders have different traits none are exactly alike.
My take on it is although I do eat meat and have done a lot of hunting I see all life as sentient these days and will only eat what I need and wont eat animals that have been farmed in battery conditions.
well as I say all life needs to be treated with respect except fecking wasps, well they are a pain but even so they have their slot although God knows what it is?. And why do they always zig zag about and never bloody land straight away, it’s like they have some motor neuron illness?.
What gets me they can’t land on a plate full of cakes straight off for s&^ and go all over the shop but can go up your trouser leg faster than a homing missile why is that!?.

Airwave!

Dunno, I don't fish for the fun of it these days, however, when I get fresh mackerel on my line, they are for breakfast, they don't get much further than the frying pan.

I don't catch any more than we can eat in one meal either.