‘Euthanasia’? Call it what it is: killing

Like many fellow Fayette County taxpayers, I was disappointed in the July 13 decision by the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, despite listening to hours of respectful, heartfelt, insightful opposition statements, to vote 4-1 in favor of a regressive “euthanasia” policy for population management in the Fayette County Animal Shelter.

That was their right, and the shelter director made the proposal to set guidelines for managing a shelter that is way too small and antiquated, with a staff and budget inadequate for Fayette County’s growing, affluent population.

But “euthanasia” for managing the shelter population is a euphemism. It’s euthanasia when you put a terminally ill, suffering animal out of its misery. When you end the life of an animal so you can keep 25 percent of your cages empty, and the only thing wrong with the animal is that it doesn’t have a home, you are killing.

The new policy is about killing, not euthanasia. Let’s have the courage to call it by its proper name.

Sharon Marchisello
Peachtree City, Ga.