As the only person who's oppinnion is really needed is dead I shan't commen on this. But re putting healthy animals down its not always a terrible thing. I think sometimes sadly it has to be a consequence of people overbreeding/buying I'll advisedly, and I personally feel that it is kinder than leaving a dog in rescue for many many years. I have a friend who works in rescue with a dog who is healthy, but older and has the longest list of behavioural issues I've seen, and that isn't going to appeal to many people, as such he's been in there years.

I also know several people with healthy horses who are in full work etc but due to various reasons have chosen to put them to sleep instead of sell them. Every time this ha happened it had been for an incredibly valid reason, you'd really struggle to sell a horse in it's late teens who was a habitual rearer/bolter for example, and our financial situation changes, and often the only people that offer to buy are the sort you don't want having the horse! I know a lot of people who agree its kinder to PTs in those cases.

Basically I won't comment on the case because I think the daily mail is a disgrace of a publication, and everything you need to know about it's readership is displayed in the fact that the vet/family are getting death threats. I don't agree with all your dying wishes being granted, and from the side ive read I don't think the dog should have been put down, nor do I think however, that putting healthy animals down is always a horrible thing to do, as in many cases it is the lesser of two evils. Also healthy is an inctedibly subjective term, but that's a debate for another day.

I agree you never know the circumstances, I have a very dog aggressive dog with life time health issues, that cost me a lot of money, he also has separation issues that mean he cant be alone, not many people would take him on, would I want to risk him finding a home or being in a kennel and possibly being pts in the event of my death. Hope I never have to think of it, This family do not deserve death threats im sure they had an agonising time having to do all this. Save the death threats for scummy people that cause pain unneccesarrilly, or give their dogs up knowing they will probably be pts just because their bored or the dog is inconvenient or they don't suit their lifestyle.

Im not a DM reader, but links to articles from it do unfortunately crop up from time to time all over my online social sphere, and much as I agree it is a pedlar of sensationalism and frenzy, I just don't have the self control not to click those links!

With regards to the death threats mentioned, I think in all instances such action is ridiculous and lowers the person making them to that of the alleged perpetrator.

The general subject of healthy dogs being PTS - I will not get into my views as they are different for each situation but I don't feel it directly relevant to the OP/article.

Regards to a young (5 years is not exactly old for this breed), healthy, incredibly well trained dog (I make this assumption if it was working as a guide dog) being PTS, I don't see any reason here why this animal would not have been able to be re-homed /re-assigned with another blind person in need of an assistance animal.
Whether or not it was owned outright by the blind person who died, I do not think it should have been PTS without being evaluated by an appropriate body - be that a rescue, vet or guide dog/assistance dog society.
Had this happened and the dog was still PTS, well it would be sad, but better than no evaluation being done and people understanding the poor creature being PTS purely on the basis of someone's dying wish to have their pet by their side in burial.

This is the bit that gets me most - the quote about the dog wandering aimlessly as if in mourning after the owner's death - of course it would be, as I'm sure the loss of it's human, coupled with the goings on of others, in and out of the house, picking up on the grief of others, etc, the dog picks up on all of this. To have it PTS in such a time frame as to allow it to be displayed in/on the dead owner's coffin does not allow any time for recovery from grief, proper temperament/behaviour evaluation or acclimation to a new home or owner.