I hope I don't get chewed out for this topic, but I was interested in the Barbaro Put Down thread before it got closed for being way off topic and a couple of people fighting with each other over something somewhat stupid.

However I thought where the topic went was interesting and I ask you all, especially you animal lovers this question. If you were told that you could save the life of another human being, one that you didn't know and probably never would, by putting your own pet to sleep would you do it? Especially if this was the only way to save that persons life?

Obviously this is an unrealistic situation, but I am curious to hear your answers. For me I know it would be extremely tough and I would be extremely upset, but I think I would have to do it.

I myself don't own any pets, but I do know about the close personal relationships many members on here feel with their pets, it should be an interesting topic.

P.S., love the avatar.

As a pet lover, I refuse to answer such a provocative question!

Ya know, its a REALLY good question.

I almost hate to admit it but I don't know what I'd do (in that predicament). Trying to think totally logically - my cat, who has been with me through thick and thin and has been a total source of enjoyment to me, is now 16 years old. I figure we don't have all that much time left together.

I don't know if I could face myself in the mirror, though, if I let an innocent human die for my selfish reasons.

Couldn't you re-phrase the question so that it was between my cat and someone I knew and didn't like?

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I'd like to think I'm a good human being and would do what's best in any situation. If I had a pet, only loved by me and I had a choice between that and a person that's loved by their freinds and family, for the overall good I'd save the person.

But I'm not a good human being so fuck it.

I don't have any pets, because I'm not particularly fond of animals, or don't feel the need to have one, or whatever... but if I did, I'd choose the animal over the human.

I find it terribly hard to empathise with somebody I don't know. I might feel for their situation, depending on the severity, but if it was my own pet, who I loved, I'd go with the thing that gives me pleasure in my life, of which I suspect I only have one.

I wouldn't know, I've never had a pet. I wonder if pets could talk, did we like them as much as we do now? A bad mouth dog or a bad mouth husband. Tough choice.

Isn't that the same as a farmer having a bed-smelling pig?

Dunno.

GREAT ONE, TURI!!!

I would save my Pet of Course,look after Number 1 and those close to you..

We could take the choice a step further. Let's say you're in an accident which has left you with limited food, like the soccer players in the Andes. Would you eat your pet to survive??

Depends on what pet you are eating..

Does it really matter? It's your pet, you love it. If you face death by starvation, would you eat it??

Only if it was my pet black angus cow.

With sadness I would spare the life of the human and sacrifice my pet. Like SC, if I disliked the person, it would be a tougher decision, but I'd probably go with the same choice.

As far as killing and eating my pet to save my life, I don't know that I could do that.

Here's another spin.

Would you sacrifice the life of your pet if it meant that your healthy child(ren) would have a 1 year guarntee from the date of the pet's demise to remain free of serious injury, illness, disease, accident or death?

I would hope I have enough decency to put my dog down, but I can't promise I would. Great ethical question however. Gload this thread got started, and sorry about the idiots who ruined the Barbaro thread.

Thats not fair, klydon. That puts a whole other spin on this "argument". I don't think any parent would even have to think about that before putting their pet down.

I couldn't eat my cat even if it meant my own survival (I'd rather die first), but if I had to feed the animal to my children for them to survive I wouldn't even hesitate killing the cat.

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Actually, SC, yes, if it meant IMMEDIATE survival. But a carefree life for a year?? That really isn't realistic, although a case could be made that being stranded in the Andes with your pet isn't very realistic either. However, I wouldn't want to debate that with certain Uruguayan rugby players.

To be honest? I don't think I know what I would do unless, God forbid, I was put in that situation. But I think that we all underestimate two things: The human will to survive and the power of hunger. Hunger can make you do strange things: steal, cheat, and so on. Have you ever fasted for any length of time, for religious reasons, or for a medical procedure? Imagine doing that for days and days and days, with no hope or end in sight. You never know what you might end up doing.

I'd eat my children and the cat.

But which would you eat first,the Children or the Cat?

Both. I'd make a stew.

How you ganna boil the water?

You don't know how to boil water?

Nice spin on the topic of having to eat your own pet in order to survive. I would have to answer no way, but like Sicilian Babe said hunger can make you do strange things.

I find it interesting to see how many people would take the selfish route and save their pet instead of a human being you don't know. I thought it would have been the other way around but I can understand the arguments on both sides.

Thank you for bringing it back on topic.

But what's selfish? To choose your own species, or an animal who's none the wiser?