Module 20
模組20
Euthanasia
安樂死
This module will enable you to
本模組將使您能夠
• Identify some aspects of the potential for
welfare problems when an animal is
euthanased在動物死亡時認定某些有關福利問題觀點
• To identify which social, cultural,
economic and legal influences affect the
quality of an animal’s death在社會,文化,經濟,與合法
性等對影響動物死亡品質認定
• To include the client’s perspective in the
process of euthanasia包括飼主對安樂死過程之看法
Slaughter vs. euthanasia
屠宰 vs.安樂死
• Slaughter 屠宰
– The killing of animals for market or to control disease 市場需
求或為了控制疫情而宰殺動物
– Should be humane 應善盡人道
• Euthanasia 安樂死
– Greek: eu–good, thanatos–death 希臘蚊 [好] 與 [死亡] 的結合
– Humane by definition 定義為人道
– An act of mercy 慈悲的作法
• When animal has an incurable illness 當動物罹患不治之
症
• When rescue or treatment is impossible 當救援或治療無
效
– Not all “mercy killing” is euthanasia 並非所有的“慈悲殺害”
都是安樂死
What makes a ‘good death’?
安樂死的各種觀念
• Some people argue that suffering is a feature
of life, and that prevention of suffering by
shortening life is unnatural受苦是生命的一部分,
避免受苦是違反自然(unnatural)
• Others have concluded that it is possible for
suffering to reach a point at which humane
killing can be justified, to end the suffering有人
則認為以安樂死結束受苦是合理的
• It is this ‘justified end to suffering’ by ‘humane
killing’ which is the basis of a ‘good death’以人
道宰殺的方式解除受苦是合理的 (justify與humane都
是很主觀的)
Common criteria for euthanasia
of individual animals
•
•
•
•
個體動物安樂死之一般標準
Severely injured animals嚴重的受傷
Animals with terminal conditions in
which suffering is likely or cannot be
prevented 瀕臨生命尾聲且可能受苦
Aggressive animals攻擊性強的動物
Aged animals where there are no
resources for their needs老年動物且缺
乏其需求之資源
Common criteria for euthanasia of
‘groups’ of animals
群體動物安樂死之一般標準
• Strays - when there are insufficient
resources to provide a reasonable
quality of life流浪動物---當資源不足以供
應合理之生活品質時
• Planned population control計畫性宰
殺部分族群
– For the ‘greater good’ of the
remaining population為了使整體族群
更好
– Not an effective control strategy
並非有效率
• Legal responsibility, with some
diseases e.g. foot and mouth
disease因疾病控制的法律責任
• Laboratory animals實驗動物
Who decides? 由誰決定?
The owner may decide
飼主可以決定
Who decides? 由誰決定?
The animal may be suffering
動物可能十分痛苦
Who decides?
由誰決定?
Slaughter required by law
法律可規範屠宰
Who decides? 由誰決定?
• Local authorities
may decide that
stray animal
numbers must be
reduced
當地政府認定流浪動
物的數量一定得減少
Philosophies on animal death
動物死亡之各種看法
• Buddhism佛教
– One of the five precepts of the Dhammapada法句經
五戒之一
– ‘He who destroys life – digs up the very roots of his
life.’ 「殺害生命者是自掘己身生命的根。」
• Hindu verse 印度詩
He who kills a cow will ‘rot in hell for as many years as
there are hairs on the cow.’殺牛「在地獄的墮落年限與
牛毛一樣多。」
Philosophies on animal death
• Islam回教
動物死亡之各種看法
-‘There is not an animal on earth, nor a flying
creature on two wings, but they are people like
unto you.’ 「那在地上的，或用二個翅膀飛的受造物
不是動物，而是與你一樣的人。」
• Christianity -- St Francis of Assisi 聖方濟
– ‘Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to
them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher
mission – to be of service to them whenever they
require it.’ .’ 聖方濟：「不傷害我們的兄弟是我們的首
要任務，僅僅停止傷害是不夠的。我們有更高的任務，
就是在任何時間，當有需要時服務牠們。」
Ethical questions in euthanasia
安樂死的倫理問題
• Are animals disposable?動物是可丟棄的物?
• Do we have a responsibility to provide
animals with quantity of life, as well as a
reasonable quality of life?我們是否有責任給動
物合理的壽命與生命品質?
– Does the age at euthanasia matter if there is no
suffering?做安樂死時動物的壽命是否重要?
• Humans can give animals a ‘good death’人
類可提供”好的死亡”給動物
– Is a ‘good death’ optional or an animal need?
“好的死亡”是選項還是動物的需要?
Examples of cultural approaches to killing
文化影響宰殺一例
• Until the introduction of the
1998 Animal Protection Bill in
Taiwan, stray animals were
killed by ‘bulk drowning’直到
1998年動保法實施前, 台灣都是整批淹
死流浪狗
• A number of countries use
‘dog shooting days’ as a
means of eliminating
unwanted or stray animals許多
國家是運用‘射狗日’ 做為消滅不要的,
或是流浪動物的方法
An ideal method of euthanasia
理想安樂死的一般標準
• The animal can be restrained with little distress
動物可以用最緩和的方式保定
• The method of euthanasia安樂死的手段
– Is ‘aesthetically’ acceptable to operator and
client用飼主與操作者均可接受的方法
– Can be administered competently by the staff
available工作人員應有能力處理而不需假手外人
– Presents a low risk to the operator讓操作者之風
險最低
– Produces a dead body which can be
disposed of safely所產生之屍體可以安全的處理
– Is cost-effective 合乎成本
Intravenous barbiturate overdose
靜脈注射過量的巴比土酸鹽注射
Legal aspects:合法性
• Barbiturates are controlled
substances in the countries
where they are used, but in
many countries their use is
illegal巴比土酸鹽在使用國家均屬管
制藥品，有些國家則不合法。
• The bodies of euthanased
animals must be disposed
of safely as they contain
barbiturates安樂死後之屍體處理
要注意安全因含有巴比土酸鹽
Captive bolt stunning followed
by pithing or exsanguination
用頭鎗射暈後破髓或放血
• In some countries, routine
use of captive bolt
equipment is restricted to
licensed slaughter
personnel, but mercy killing
may be carried out by any
person
有些國家頭鎗僅限有證照屠
宰人員使用，但安樂死時任
何人均可使用。
Non-penetrating percussive stunning
followed by exsanguination
非侵入性撞暈後放血
• In some countries, routine use of
captive bolt equipment is
restricted to licensed slaughter
personnel, but mercy killing may
be carried out by any person.
Exsanguination is of limited use in
humane killing of animals in
outbreaks of some infectious
diseases.
有些國家頭鎗僅限有證照屠宰人員
使用，但安樂死時任何人均可使用
Electrical stunning followed by
exsanguination or electrocution
電暈後放血
• Use of electrical stunning for
routine killing is restricted to
licensed slaughtermen in many
countries, and use of trained
personnel for this equipment in
humane killing of pigs or sheep in
a disease outbreak would be
required. Use of this method is
limited by the electric current
supply.使用電擊技術做例行性宰殺在許多國
家均限有照屠宰人員；流行病爆發時亦由受過
訓練者對豬或羊實施。
Percussive killing of small
mammals, birds and fish
小型哺乳類、鳥、魚之侵入性宰殺
• The use of percussive killing
of laboratory animals is
regulated e.g. the UK Animal
Scientific Procedures Act,
1986
• 實驗動物之侵入性宰殺有特別
規。例如: 英國之動物科學程
序法1986
Free bullet: pistol shooting
子彈射殺
• Horses and donkeys馬與驢
– When barbiturate
overdose is not
possible, the use of
a free bullet pistol
provides an
aesthetically
acceptable and
humane method of
killing 無法注射過量之巴比
土酸鹽，直接用子彈射殺提
供了一項可接受與人道的宰
殺法。
Free bullet: rifle shooting
來福槍射擊
• In many countries, ownership and use of
firearms is regulated在許多國家，擁有及使用槍枝均有
規範
• Repetitive rifle with a silencer is the best
option if several animals must be killed
連發且裝有消音器的來福槍是使動物死亡
的最佳選擇
Use of a shotgun for emergency
euthanasia
緊急狀況下使用槍擊來安樂死
• In many countries, ownership and use of
firearms is regulated
在許多國家，擁有及使用槍枝均有規範
Euthanasia of stranded cetaceans
擱淺鯨類的安樂死
• Best method for euthanasia is not always
apparent 安樂死的最佳方式並不顯著
• Small cetaceans小型擱淺鯨類
– Overdose of
etorphine or
barbiturates
大量注射艾托啡因
或巴比土酸鹽
– Shoot in the head
with a rifle
用槍射擊頭部
Euthanasia of stranded cetaceans
擱淺鯨類的安樂死
• Larger cetaceans大型擱淺鯨類
– No reliable method of euthanasia is available
尚無可信賴之安樂死方法
– Stranded whales do not usually survive even
if they are put back in the water—
compromised circulation擱淺的鯨就算放回大
海仍無法存活
Neck dislocation of birds
鳥類的折頸
• Neck dislocation or neck pulling is widely
used in killing of birds but is not ideal
折頸或拔頸常用在宰殺鳥類, 但不被認為理想。
Unacceptable methods of euthanasia
不被接受的安樂死方式
•
•
•
•
•
Freezing冰凍
Drowning淹死
Starvation餓死
Suffocation窒息/悶死
Immersion in ethanol
泡酒精
• Use of non-specialist
microwave equipment
非專業微波設備
• Intra-peritoneal
barbiturate injection
(in general)腹腔內注
射巴比土酸鹽
• Gassing (poison gas,
or anoxia- inducing
gas e.g. CO)缺氧或毒
氣
• Decapitation (in
general)砍頭(一般性)
Acceptable methods of euthanasia
可接受的安樂死方式
• For individual animals that can be adequately
restrained –intravenous barbiturate is
recommended (particularly for stray dogs
and cats)動物個體若能適當保定建議靜脈注射
巴比土酸鹽(特別是流浪狗或貓)
• For horses and donkeys馬和驢
– Barbiturate overdose高劑量注射巴比土酸鹽
– Free bullet pistol shooting射殺
Acceptable methods of euthanasia
可接受的安樂死方式
• Large animals on farm農場大動物
– Use of a race or crush for restraint用頭鎗後放血
– Captive bolt stunning followed by bleeding or pithing
破髓
• Large animals which are ‘free’大動物若能正確被射擊
– Accurate head, heart or high neck shooting頭,心,頸部
高處,建議射殺
• Large groups in disease outbreaks (poultry, pigs)大群動
物爆發疾病(雞豬等)
– Stunning followed by exsanguination電暈(或擊昏)後
放血
Euthanasia and client communication
動物安樂死時與飼主溝通
• Deciding to end an animal’s life can be a very difficult
decision for a client決定結束動物的生命對飼主來說可能是一件困
難的事
• Give the owner time to make the decision給飼主時間去做
決定
– Empathise動之以情
– Discuss the factors leading to the decision to
euthanase清楚說明安樂死的理由
– Explain exactly what is involved, including the
disposal of the body清楚說明所涉及的事項，包含遺體的
處置
– Don’t judge別擅作主張
Euthanasia and client communication
動物安樂死時與飼主溝通
• Schedule the procedure so that there is time
過程應排定
– to talk and explain將有時間說明
– to carry out the process without rushing可使
執行時不慌亂
• Client guilt and grief飼主會有罪惡感
– Normal正常
– The client should feel that their animal’s life
(and death) was important, and that the
euthanasia was not just routine要讓飼主了解
到動物的生命(死)很重要, 且安樂死不是例行的做法
Summary 總結
• In deciding on euthanasia, different criteria
may be applied depending on在決定安樂死時,需按
不同標準來應用
– the use of the animal動物的使用情況
– whether the animal is treated as an individual or
part of a group個體還是群體
• Certain methods of euthanasia are inhumane
and should never be used避免不人道的安樂死方
法
• Effective client communication is important
before euthanasia在安樂死前與飼主做有效的溝通
很重要
Further Reading 延伸閱讀
• American Veterinary Medical Association 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel
on Euthanasia. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000; 218: 669-696. Available online
at: www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf
• Humane Slaughter Association. Website: http://www.hsa.org.uk/
• WHO/WSPA, 1990: Guidelines for Dog Population Management.
• RSPCA, 2000: Stranded Cetaceans – Guidelines for Veterinary
Surgeons.
• CLOSE, B. et al, 1997: Recommendations for euthanasia of experimental
animals, Laboratory Animals 31, 1-32
• GLATSON, A.R., 1998: The control of zoo populations with special
reference to primates. Animal Welfare 7, 269-281
• LAMBOOY, E. et al, 1985: Euthanasia of mink with carbon monoxide
Veterinary Record 116, 416
• SINGER, P., 1989: All animals are equal. Animal Rights and Human
Obligations. Prentice Hall.