How and when animals are euthanized is a critical welfare question, with significant variation in methods and timing across contexts.
Euthanasia, when performed humanely and timely, can be a welfare-positive act that ends suffering. But timing and method matter enormously. Economic considerations often delay euthanasia for animals in pain, and high-throughput killing methods in livestock contexts frequently compromise welfare. The concept of a 'good death' for animals deserves as much attention as the conditions of life.