QUIZ RESULTS: Doggie Organ Donors?

April 19, 2001
San Francisco, California, USA

UPDATE (April 25, 2001): Votes continue to trickle in from newcomers, so we will continue to update these results periodically.  However, just like my high school English teacher Ms. Dumas did, we will penalize all late quiz papers one letter grade!

Last week, The Scoop ran an article: "Doggie Organ Donors: A Philosophical Mindbender" which highlighted the recent decision to use euthanized shelter animals as organ donors.

The Palo Alto Animal Services Division has agreed to provide certain area animal hospitals with corneal tissue, taken from dead animals, to be used in efforts to restore sight to the living.

While the ASD has made strict guidelines that no animal will be euthanized for donor purposes, nor will any financial transactions take place, the topic is very controversial nonetheless, and has certainly never been done in such an open manner.

From the informal poll conducted last week, an overwhelming number of Scoop readers voted in favor of the action.  (Thanks to all who participated!).

Out of the 226 people who responded to the survey, 

82% voted "Paws Up"
18% voted "Paws Down"

We also received a number of very eloquent and insightful comments, from both sides, almost all of which agreed that the underlying situation of shelter overcrowding is the real tragedy.

Dissenting (Paws Down) voters often expressed concern that a precedent such as this would encourage unscrupulous shelters to follow suit, in less ethical ways.  Another major concern was that euthanasia would remain the "quick & easy way out".  One Paws Down voter wrote:

"...Organ harvesting just provides another incentive to kill an animal, rather than to try and adopt it, or to work with owners to find remedies, such as obedience, behavior modification, etc. I would feel more comfortable if this program were run through an agency or organization that wasn't trying to make "lemonade" out of these unwanted pet "lemons." Thank you, Peninsula Humane Society, for staying out of this."

On the whole, it seems that the general sentiment among Paws Up voters can be summarized by what these readers wrote:

"It would definitely be a waste to just destroy good organs."

"While I am against the practice of euthanizing animals at shelters, I am aware that there are realistic constraints on many of these places. If some small benefit can be salvaged from the tragic need to euthanize,  I am for using these poor animals as organ donors."

"There is a need for these organs that would otherwise be wasted.  Drawing attention to the astronomical numbers of perfectly good animals killed, through no fault of their own, will ultimately help to make humans realize and take responsibility for their selfish actions."

"I don't understand why we have to euthanize animals in the first place.  But I am willing to donate my organs to save someone.  Dogs are angels among us.  I am sure they would have no objections."