A tormenting paradox

In today's Columbus Dispatch, there were two articles on the Franklin County Animal Shelter. I found them both to be eye-opening, moving, and even a bit disturbing.

Article from front page.

More in-depth (and serious) article on the front page of the Insight section.

A few pieces from the second article:

"I'm a spiritual person," she said, "and there are times that I wonder if I'm going to be forgiven for this."

"By taking responsibility for ending and preventing suffering," she said, "they in turn will suffer."

Several admit to nightmares and increased use of alcohol and tobacco.

Finally, this last link is potentially the most disturbing. The Dispatch website includes several warnings that what you will see here is not for the faint of heart.

My summary: How should these employees be treated? Some people have called them murderers. Are they right? They're taking innocent animals, many times healthy innocent animals and putting them to "sleep", even though death is a more accurate, yet blunt, word. I'm not sure I like the use of the "s word" here, because that implies waking up.

Now, I can understand vicious animals. If it's been deemed too vicious to live a peaceful life, and can't be rehabilitated, what else can be done?

The part I found the most disturbing was what is done with the deceased animals. Are they buried? No. Are they used for medical science? No.

It'll be interesting to see the after effects of the article. What sort of letters will be written to the editor?

Finally, on a somewhat related note, someone should have caught the Sports headline of 'Cats Go Splat, before the paper was printed, but that's neither here nor there.