RP argumentation

The green part below is the problems I found in the euthanasia policy; the purple part is another policy that I think is more humane to stray dogs and is potential enough to replace euthanasia

Hope my peers can spend some time to read these so long paragraphs and I am welcome to any opinions and suggestions~^*^~


There are several ethical defects in the euthanasia policy when the government is trying to control the number of stray dogs existing in the society. The first problem is that the government should not euthanize stray animals which are still young and healthy. Previously、Regan states that euthanasia is allowable only under the conditions that the animal is either too old or has suffered from an incurable disease. At this moment、euthanasia will be a method to end these animals』 suffrage by giving them a peaceful death. On the contrary、it is quite sure that not all stray dogs in this present time are old or dangerously ill. In this way、the government’s permission to euthanize healthy stray dogs so as to decrease the number of stray animals in the society is contradictable to Regan’s principle because the operation of euthanasia has already been applied for the wrong purpose. It will be better for the government to set up a professional official department that is to monitor whether the animal is old and ill enough to accept animal euthanasia.

Another doubtful question is that 「will the operation of euthanasia really be painless?」 (Shi 8). In the year of 2004、Professor Shi Fen-ru had once read a news report in which the truest and darkest side in an official animal shelter was totally revealed to the public. The veterinarian roughly and violently dragged a young healthy stray dog to the room where it would soon be euthanized. The dog was so scared that it shivered and barked helplessly. Disregarding the dog’s extreme fear、the veterinarian directly punctured the dog through its chest、so finally the dog died of extreme pain and fear、which again、offended the original purpose of animal euthanasia、which was to die peacefully and painlessly. This case also exposed clearly the scandal of human beings』 abusing the authority to kill innocent animals in such a cruel and merciless ways. Moreover、the expense to euthanize an animal is actually quite expensive for it costs about NT 4,881 while ligation only needs about NT 2,484 (Deng). Observed from this point、when compared to animal euthanasia、ligation will obviously be more practical and conformable to economical benefits. Ligation is more humane as well、for at least the stray animals are now having the opportunity to live their lives.

Of course euthanasia is not the only and the best way to solve the social problem of stray dogs in Taiwan. There can be an efficient system that has the potential to replace the practice of euthanasia on healthy and young stray dogs but also has the effect to control the number of stray dogs in the society. This system involves 「promotion of animal ligation」、「promotion of the implantation of electronic chips」、「establishment of animal protection laws」 and 「general education」. Three years ago、an American author、Joshua Frank、addressed that spay (removal of a female animal’s ovaries) and neuter (castrate the animal) programs were generally found to be the most effective policy options for reducing euthanasia. In order to prove his argument、a research was done and the result concluded that:
By encouraging the spay/neuter programs、a reduction of 46.8% in the percentage of dog owners who do not spay/neuter their animal results in a region with dynamics similar to the New York State Capital Region being able to bring the number of dogs euthanized down to zero. In other words、if about half of the people who do not spay/neuter their animal could be convinced to change their behavior、such a region could become 「no-kill」 for the dog population. (Frank 114)
Furthermore、in that survey、27% of pet owners who do not spay/neuter their animal say that they are willing to do so only if the spay/neuter program is at a low price of about US$100 (Frank 115). This evidence shows that the spay/neuter program is workable and is really full of potential to replace the policy of animal euthanasia. Meanwhile in Taiwan、it is good for the Taipei County Government to sponsor a ligation allowance of NT$ 600 for each male dog or cat and NT$1200 for each female dog or cat. Because of this extra bonus、pet owners may feel attractive to apply ligation to their pets. If the stray animals can no longer produce offspring、then the total number of stray animals in Taiwan will definitely decrease in the future. Ligation is far more humane than euthanasia. Even though the animal is not able to produce offspring anymore、at least it is given a chance to live、but not to be dead in the next minute. Moreover、liagtion has many advantages. It can prevent animals from having sexual diseases and they will be more docile and easily controlled for they will never have sexual desire anymore.

Promotion of the implantation of electronic chips under the animals』 skin is also very useful in controlling the number of stray animals in the society. The electronic chip functions as the animal’s identity card for its whole life so that although there are dogs abandoned by their owners purposely or there are dogs accidentally wander away from their owners; people can still trace the dogs』 identity and the information to contact their owners. Consequently、there will be less abandoned dogs which then become stray dogs surviving in the society all by themselves. In order to advocate the welfare that animals deserve、it is necessary for the government to set up legislative laws to protect animal rights. These laws should contain the spirit to remind people that we have to respect to all kinds of species living in this world. Human beings have to admire and be grateful to the contributions that animals have been giving to human living. Because of this、humans have the moral duty to protect and ensure that animals can live in a healthy and suitable environment (Singer 46). What is more、the government should make efforts in promoting the adoption program so that every stray dog can have an opportunity to find a new home and a new owner. General education to the resident is significant as well. Residents who already own a pet should keep in mind that the animal is a precious life and they should always be responsible to their pets. Residents must absolutely take serious consideration and think twice before they decide to own a pet. It is extremely wrong for people to buy and raise pets discretionarily and finally abandon the animals without having any sense of guilt and shame.