You did the right thing for your family AND the animal...
oops, meant to reply to Arkadiy
a little short term pain will be worth the growth your children experience from this event. It in NO WAY reflects negatively on you as a father, in fact it's quite the opposite. In this day and age of cocoon-like child seats for cars, instant antiseptic handwash to prevent spread of germs, bicycle helmets, etc, etc, we've learned to help minimize the physical risks our children are exposed to. However, we've somehow transferred that feeling of safety we have to the emotional growth of them as well: we've come to expect that they will deal with little or no emotional pain growing up. And while it may pain us to see them endure such pain, it's a very healthy and necessary part of their maturation. They're dealing with loss which is akin to the grieving process. As they go through this now with their parents to help them understand and deal with what they're feeling, the next time will be easier on them. When they no longer have you there to help them process, they'll be able to deal with pain maturely as adults.
