Compassion or Crime?

Lazer, who had reached a ripe old age and had become blind, bedridden and pitiful from constant pain from many age related ailments, had begun to weigh heavily on the hearts of the Mithals. Unable to see him in constant agony anymore, they decided to put him to sleep as a final act of compassion.

Vibhav, who is now taking up a job after completing law-school recalled how Lazer had entered their home and hearts as a tender one month old pup, when he was in class 2. Over 16 years, Lazer had played several roles from being the youngest child to Rashmi and Ambrishto a younger brother, playmate, friend and guard to Varun and Vibhav.

Laze had brought that special mirth and cheerfulness to their home: playfully teasing the children out of bed by pulling off their sheets, naughtily hiding their socks when they were readying for school, guarding their home all day, welcoming them back with incessant wagging of his tail, and playing ball with them in the evenings.

But as one year of a dog’s life is equivalent to seven of man, Lazer fast-tracked from a baby to youth to mid-life to senility in 16 years (equivalent to 112 of a man) with cataract, diabetes, weak heart and paralytic legs, as he lay immobile and groaning constantly in pain. After much deliberation, he was released from his painful state by euthanasia or mercy killing.

While most animal lovers would approve of mercy killing for suffering animals, extrapolating a similar approach to humans never fails to stir the hornet’s nest.

 Counter arguments usually begin with our arrogant positioning that Man is not an animal! While there certainly are differences, the similarities of the cycle of life and death are inescapably similar and humbling. Any person who has lived with and seen an elderly relative struck with an incurable progressive disease like cancer, wither and groan to the predictable painful end, will testify having wished an early respite for their loved ones.

Opposition to Euthanasia comes from both religious and legal quarters. The faithful argue that since man is incapable of creating life, how can he assume the right to snuff it out? Some go further to explain that the misery needs to be suffered through as it is ordained.

On the legal and technical front are 3 major concerns: how sure can we be that the situation is truly irretrievable? How sure can we be that this is what the suffering person, who is presently comatose, would have wanted done, and lastly, with sanctioning to (mercy) kill, what is the possibility for ingenuous humans to misuse it for selfish gains?

The Mithals heaved a sigh of relief on letting suffering Lazer go, preferring to keep the memories of his younger frolicking days in their hearts. And as we remain uncertain about how to deal with humans in similar situations, we keep doing what we are best at – procrastinate.
As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times) dated 23 June, 2013.