Heinlein would NOT be pleased

[a425couple]

Robert Heinlein would NOT be pleased about this story
in the news. Actually there are many trends going on
in our country, and in the world, that are not the way
he felt things should be done.

From:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein
"Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance
of individual liberty and self-reliance, the obligation individuals owe
to their societies - There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
As for libertarian, I've been one all my life, a radical one. "

His belief that is relevant in today's news:
"When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your
own dog. --Robert A. Heinlein"
http://research.lifeboat.com/heinlein.htm
And, from elsewhere, the fuller quote was,
"When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your
own dog. Don't farm it out - that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it
worse."
Likely, from Lazarus Long in "Time Enough for Love".

Another citation:
"If it has to be done, a man - a real man - shoots his own dog himself;
he doesn't hire a proxy who may bungle it."
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers

So, the news story
http://people.com/pets/man-charged-with-animal-cruelty-allegedly-shooting-dog/
"Man Who Shot Terminally Ill Dog and Buried Her at a Beach Is
Facing Animal Cruelty Charges
By Jen Juneau.@wordswithjen Posted on March 25, 2017
A Virginia man who claims he shot his 15-year-old dog to end her
suffering and then buried her at the beach is facing animal cruelty
charges, according to a report by 13News Now.
Michael Whalen, a 65-year-old resident of Virginia Beach, Virginia,
told the news outlet that his dog Allie had been suffering from
Cushing's disease, which is terminal, for about a year. But when
the veterinarian talked about putting her down in February 2016,
Whalen tells News 3, he didn't feel the time was right.
"Allie was not ready. I was not ready. She was still having fun.
She wasn't in ill health. I got her stable on her medication," he told
the outlet. But Allie's condition took a turn for the worse in February,
when Allie began seizing uncontrollably, according to News 3.
"She was not coming out of this," Whalen told the station.
Allie's body was found partially buried Feb. 10 with a head wound,
according to News 3. The outlet discussed standards and policies
to a local veterinarian, who told News 3 that a gunshot wasn't
considered a legal form of euthanasia.
"The options were to sit here and let her do this until she expired,
or to put her in the car, which [would mean] I couldn't control her
and it would have been dangerous for me to drive trying to keep
her airway open," Whalen told The Virginian Pilot.
News 3 reports that Whalen is expected to appear in court in June,
and that his attorney George Yates simply felt like his client was
acting how anyone would in his situation.
"We feel that he did what a pet owner is required to do," Yates
told the outlet.
"Take care of their animal and when their animal is suffering to
properly euthanize the animal."
"It was so emotionally disturbing," Whalen admitted to News 3.
"I can't tell you how many times I've had to go through this in my
mind and sometimes I'll just start crying.
"We did everything together. She went everywhere with me. I even
took her on a vacation trip one time on my motorcycle," he added
in his interview with News 3. "This was a very sad and painful story,
and I did nothing but help my dog leave this world.""

Stupid state and stupid vet, "a gunshot wasn't considered a legal
form of euthanasia" !!!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness, in my state a single gunshot to the head is
considered a "humane kill".

[!Jones]

x-no-idiots: yes

On Sun, 26 Mar 2017 06:35:57 -0700, in talk.politics.guns "a425couple"
<a425c...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Stupid state and stupid vet, "a gunshot wasn't considered a legal
>form of euthanasia" !!!!!!!!!!
>Thank goodness, in my state a single gunshot to the head is
>considered a "humane kill".

Well, here's the issue: (From the AP wire service) "[The dog's] body
was found partially buried on the city beach Feb. 10 with a head
wound..." It simply wouldn't have mattered whether the animal was
shot or euthanized by the vet; "animal cruelty" isn't the correct
charge. He will be charged with improper disposal of biological
waste. Simply dumping your dead animal's carcass on the public beach
is *not* responsible behavior.

To dispose of a body safely, it should be buried with at least 18" of
well packed covering (meaning you dig 32" to 36") in an aerobic zone;
beach sand might be aerobic by some definitions; however, it is
unstable and quite easily disturbed. Heinlein would probably roll in
*his* grave if he knew someone was citing his philosophy to justify
dumping their dead pets' remains on public beaches; I bet Heinlein
would have said that he meant you were to *bury* the damn thing
correctly after you had shot it.

Fine him well, I say!

Jones