Readers' Comments
247 results
Whitney
4 years ago
I think it's kind of a step backwards. In humans, we employ hospice care to provide the dying person with the most comfort possible, because unfortunately euthanasia is not an option for us (yet). Seems to me that if my animal has a terminal condition and is nearing the end of its life, I am going to provide the most humane thing I can, which most of the time is euthanasia. Otherwise I'll keep doing what I'm doing so long as my dogs are comfortable and happy.
Wendie
4 years ago
I guess this confuses me. Isn't hospice care supposed to be end of life care? Making sure the passing is peaceful? I think if an animal is bad enough off that it needs hospice care and massive help making sure it's last days are not painful, it would probably be much kinder to euthanize it. Am I missing something here?
Michaelyn
4 years ago
I am not sure about quality of life. If a pet has been with you for years, moving in with strangers doesn't seem that tranquil to me. I love my pets and grieved for a year when my Brie died, but she died with me at home with the help of my vet. Sometimes you just have to let them go.
Michelle H.
5 years ago
Animals deserve this type of care when dying. Caring for an animal with a terminal disease is very hard. We also need more support for those caring for their animals at home. So many people don't understand and think it is just an animal.
Mary G.
5 years ago
Angel's Gate a miraculous place! The story mentions that the founder, Susan Marino and staff use hydro-therapy, holistic treatments, massage and much much more. I can tell you what they use. They use love!
I had the pleasure of visiting Angel's Gate a few years ago. Suprisingly it is not housed in a cold brick or concrete building, but in a typical Long Island suburban home set back from a quiet street on a well tended lawn. When you arrive and approach the front door all is quiet. You might think that you are in the wrong place, how could this be an animal hospice housing some 200 animals? Then you are greeted by a little two-legged dog merrily trotting up to say hello on a mechanism with wheels that acts as his rear legs, and you spot a wonderful looking Rotweiler lounging under a big old tree. (We later learned that the Rotweiler, wonderfully named Brutus, was a quadriplegic brought to Angel's Gate by his loving family because the mainstream animal medical community could not help him with his infirmity. Today Brutus is actually walking , unsteadily to be sure, but walking on his own four legs.)
Once inside Susan and her life partner Victor LaBruna give you the Grand Tour.
Warm sunny rooms. A room for cats infected with feline leukemia and feline AIDS. Another room for cats. Cats ailing from neurological disorders, from diabetes, from cancer--all with shiny coats, some friendly as hell and others aloof as only cats can be, all safe and loved.
Next the dogs. Dogs small, medium and large. Dogs everywhere. In the hall, lying on blankets on the cozy kitchen floor and reclining or milling about in the spacious backyard which is dominated by an inground pool which Susan uses to perform hydrotherapy treatments on the paralyzed dogs.
We also met two ponies, a very very old swan, ducks and chickens and a roomful of beautiful colorful exotic birds.
You learn that Angel's Gate is a haven of love. It is a sanctuary for animals that have nowhere else to go. Many of them have little time left in this world, but with Susan and company their final days are replete with kindness and loving compassion.
You leave this place feeling serene. A "peaceabe kingdom" like no other.
mARY ANN M.
5 years ago
As long as the animal is not in pain and shows indications that they still enjoy life and want to go on, this is great. Once an animal is in chronic pain substantial enough to impact the quality of their life and are ready to go, then I think it is time to put them down. I feel this is as much as part of the owner's responsibility as anything else and the hardest responsibility of all.
FruitLoopLucy
5 years ago
if this is your decision to go this way it is wonderful comforting way to go
Anna S.
5 years ago
Caring for a loved one during any hard time in its life can be really rough. After working as a vet tech, I've discovered that it's not that the owners of the pets don't want to care for them, it always comes down to money. I highly suggest pet insurance to everyone with animals. It looks expensive initially, but for a healthy pet, you pretty much break even with physicals, vaccines, and medications such as heartworm preventives. BUT as soon as the animal becomes ill, you discover how well worth it the insurance really is. Some good insurances to look into are the ASPCA's new plans, PZI, and HomeAgain.
8critters
5 years ago
The best thing I have heard coming out of hospice care is that more veterinarians are promoting a hospice care thinking among the owners of terminally ill pets, rather than waiting until it is time for euthansia to have the issue dealt with. This is a good way of giving time to say goodbye, and knowing you are doing everything to make them comfortable, but not needlessly prolonging their suffering or their life.
Rjlupinskat
5 years ago
It's wonderful to see more caring people out there who know how to care for an animal with such special needs. Best of luck to them!
nancy z.
5 years ago
Wow ! It's hard to believe that any person or team of people can endure this emotional roller coaster. I applaud your efforts. It must be so rewarding, and yet so difficult when it is time for the animals to part with this world.
Thanks for giving a quality of life to both the pets and their owners.
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