The ultimate put-down

Animal lovers would be horrified if they thought their aged or ill pets would be 'put to sleep' in a way that caused them pain and trauma.

Yet the rights of human beings on Death Row do not yet equal the rights of animals.

Ohio Supreme Court has just ruled that Death Row inmates in Ohio will continue to have no right under State law to challenge the lethal injection process or to require that the process is conducted in a way that does not inflict pain and trauma.

Considering the horribly botched execution attempt on prisoner Romell Broom in September 2009, in which 18 attempts were made to inject him to death, over a two-hour period, the court ruling is doubly shocking.

You can't help wondering if there would be more of an international outcry if an animal was subjected to this.