To the editor:

I knew the time would come when my dog of 15 1/2 years would possibly need the services of a veterinarian to euthanize him. But I had no idea of the difficulty in doing so.

The first two vets I called flatly denied my request. Why? Because I was not a client. I moved here one year ago. My dog was so old that seeing a vet the last couple of years seemed like a futile gesture. He was old. No cure for that. To feed him well, give him cosequin for arthritis and keep him free of pests was all that was necessary.

I did find a vet that would agree to evaluate him and then determine whether euthanasia was called for. OK, that is a reasonable response. I knew once they saw that he could no longer get up because his back legs were too weak that they would reach the same conclusion that I already had, that putting him down was the only humane thing left to do, and they did. Thank you.

But most disturbing, is that the first two vets I contacted refused to even consider my request. It seems they are more interested in things other than humane services for pets. A shame; I never got a rational answer as to why they refused treatment other than not being a client of theirs. And I should refrain from speculating. But one thing is certain: Animal welfare is not their primary concern.

Daniel Dicks,

Lawrence