[Smalltime]

Not all the bunny huggers would 

Nobody wants to see an animal suffer and many of us bunny huggers love a bit of mint sauce  Cannot say it would be a job I would relish though. I agree, if you want to keep any animals you have to know what to do if needs be. Thats just responsible.

[Mel Rice]

Sally I was not sugesting you dispatch a sheep with a hammer but it was a reference to the injured lamb if all else failed. (the throat needs doing too)

[SallyintNorth]

The reason they are meant to be stunned before slitting the throat is so that they are not aware they are bleeding to death.  Ipso facto, if the throat is slit without stunning, the animal is aware it is being slaughtered.  Not nice.

Hitting any animal with a hammer, whether a rabbit or lamb, unless you have the veterinary knowledge to know that your single blow renders the animal immediately and painlessly unconscious, every time, seems to me to be far more cruel than alternatives.

I can't help feeling that, if people really are stuck with an injured lamb and too far from the vet, a farmer with a shotgun, or a knacker, then they should either have injectable drugs in their cupboard or, if this couldn't have been foreseen (eg, snowed in) then maybe drowning is kinder - although I am sure the animal would know it is being killed, it is at least, reputedly 'a nice way to go'. 

But the whole conversation is distressing me - if I was situated where I may need to dispatch an animal myself I would feel obliged to have a gun and know how to use it for a quick safe certain kill.  Or have meds in my cupboard and know how to use them ditto.

[Penninehillbilly]

If the animal is in pain, I'd cut its throat, but for goodnes sake - SHARPEN the knife first, likely if its in serious pain it may not feel it that much and it could only be a relief in a relatively short time. But it may be best to either get a gun or find out if a neighbour has one, not everyone shouts it out that they have a gun on the premises, just found out recently that an nearby elderly lady has a 12 bore, I've known her over 20yrs!.

[VSS]

A .410 shotgun is a perfectly humane way of killing an animal either for euthanasia or for home butchery - it combines the stunning and killing into one easy operation.
Small, easy to handle and doesn't make too much mess.

Recommended by the Humane Slaughter Association.