Mercy killing, also called euthanization, is, “the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding medical measures from a person or animal suffering from an incurable, esp. a painful, disease or condition” (TheFreeDictionary, Farlex). This method of putting a living thing out of suffering has been used on livestock, pets, and humans. It has been viewed as unmoral or inhumane, but others see it as beneficial for the organism in pain. Indeed, euthanization should not be performed on a living thing as it strips it of its rights, opposes many religions, and goes against a medical worker’s pledge.
First, euthanization tree to be legally killed, a human being must first give consent. However, in some cases where an organism can’t communicate, the procedure should not be allowed. According to our Founding Fathers, “. . . all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence, 1776). This means that the act of euthanization violates the American people’s views of life and liberty. Without consent, the living thing is not free to object against this procedure and has its life taken away. This argument can also be made for pets, as they are unable to give consent when diagnosed with a painful or untreatable illness. Therefore, euthanization should not be allowed because it breaches the base rights of a human that was put forth by our founders.
Next, religion is strictly against any type of suicide. Religions such as Christianity and Catholicism view suicide as a mortal sin which would condemn you to hell: “. . .suicide is considered a grave matter, one of the elements required for mortal sin. The reason is that one's life is the property of God and a gift to the world, and to destroy that life is to wrongly assert dominion over what is God's and was held as despair over salvation” (Catholic Church). We can assume that suicide is basically illegal for those who have faith in a religion. Since your life is not even yours, its God’s, even the person giving consent cannot be killed because God has to give consent due to the fact that the person’s life is his property.
While some argue that it is right to put a living thing out of suffering, and by relieving a living of its pain is moral, the act of ending someone’s life goes against the doctor’s oath. When studying medicine, you must take an oath to do no harm to others you are overseeing: “I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan” (Translated by North M, Hippocratic oath). By killing someone, even when they ask for it, breaks the oath that the physician swore on. Lying to yourself and violating your pledge by euthanizing someone is unmoral and should not occur.
In conclusion, euthanization should not be allowed. Not only is this morally wrong, it also opposes many people’s beliefs. Killing someone as a person whose job to aid people is viewed as unethical among many people. Pets, along with humans should not be mercifully killed whether or not they give consent.