Have you ever been SO upset and mad you just cry?

My brother has a 17-year old husky mix named Elmo.  When he came down from Michigan for the holidays, he brought Elmo and Gracie (his 2-year old Weimaraner who is crazy) with him.  Elmo is in bad shape, and has been going downhill for a few months now.  My brother has been trying to just keep him comfortable.  Well, yesterday Elmo couldn't get up.  He's deaf and doesn't know where he is.  SO sad.  I told my brother the time had come to put Elmo to sleep.  He agreed.

Awhile ago I get a call from him asking for my vet's name, assuming that he was calling to make arrangements for Elmo.  NO... he was calling because Gracie has a rash and he needs to get it checked out.  So I ask him... "What about Elmo?"  His response to me was..."I'm going to take him in the barnyard and put a bullet in his head".  I thought he was kidding, so I told him it wasn't a funny joke.  He said he wasn't kidding... that it would be painless (how does HE Know?) and quick and inexpensive.

Guys... I lost it on the phone with my brother here at work.  I called him every name in the book and told him I was taking off work.. coming to get Elmo... and take him to my vet to have him put to sleep and that I would pay for it.

End result?  He said if I would pay for it, he would take him to my vet ...

I am furious right now... What in the H*ll is WRONG with people?  And this is my brother for goodness sake!  He's had this dog 17 years... does Elmo not have the right to leave this world peacefully?????????????

I'm still not sure I'm not going to leave work to make sure he does what he agreed to do.  Help me understand people!  The older I get the less tolerance I have with idiots...

OMG!!! That is just horrible!  I hate stories like this.  I knew a guy that thought this would be a 'quick and painless and CHEAP' way of putting his old dog down...well, it went bad and his dog didn't pass quickly and suffered and they ended up having to call a vet to come out to the house and euthanize the poor old guy properly.  It was an absolutly horrendous event.  Shame on these people who have no regard for the life of the animals who have been so devoted to them for so many years.

There is always one of those on every family Nora!    I think you stole all the brains anyways

 To your brother.  ( I'll send my attack dog Max down to get him, okay?)  I can't believe that he would do that to Elmo after 17 years!   Bless you Nora for helping Elmo go in peace. 

I guess I should apologize for venting this way... I usually don't do this. I could truly relate some horror stories as they relate to idiot dog owners (will spare you that!)... but this is a FAMILY member acting this way for gosh darn sakes!

Here we are pulling together to save so many of these dogs... and he's wanting to take his out and put a bullet in his head!! I don't believe there is ANYone on this forum who would consider doing such a thing !

a;dlfkja;dflkjasd;flkajdf;alkfja;ldsfjk !!!!

OMG! I really hope you can get him to do the right thing!
Elmo has been his for 17 years and he can even consider that? I've had Nibbler for less than a year and I get weepy if I think I cut a toenail too short! Poor Elmo. He deserves better

Don't apologize Nora.      We all consider our ratties/other animals family members.  We would never consider a BULLET

I'm sending Max down to keep your brother in line, okay? 

Nora, perhaps you should call him back and read to him the quote that follows your name.  It really says it all. I will be thinking of Elmo and hoping that your brother comes to his senses and does the honorable thing.

  Its so true too!  Are we the nutty ones?

Oh gosh Nora, I had a relative like that, too.  He was my 3rd cousin and raised Arabian horses up in the PA mountains.  He taught me a lot about horses but he also did things like not spaying/neutering his cats so he ended up with a litter of inbred cats that looked like kangaroos!  At least though a boarder took them home....otherwise he would have drown them in the lake.

It's just a backward, old fashioned way of thinking.  He was a nice guy except for that!

Oh, I'm sorry.  I think you got all the compassion and common sense genes.  At least he is willing to get Gracie vet care for her rash.  Too many oldtimers would just put vaseline or axle grease on it and let it go.

Where exactly was he going to do the horrible deed?  On your family farm?  On your property?  Would he give Elmo a burial?