A matter of choice

No doubt Aileen Collier’s profession colours her views, which is OK. But she should not talk about choices when she wants to remove the option for me to make my own choice.

As a vet I euthanise animals so my views are also coloured by my experiences. I have had several people express their wish that euthanasia would be an option in humans. In their experience, palliative care could not alleviate all pain and suffering, no matter how compassionate and well meaning that care was.

I wish to have control over my death in equal proportion to the control I have over my life. I do not expect you to make similar choices and I would not force them upon you either. I only ask to have the option and may never make that choice, but if I want to make it then I do not want anybody to take that choice from me.

Claudia Ugarte, Palmerston North