Here’s another ethical issue and Jewish source response:

Case

Uncle Charlie is in the hospital.  He is old and pretty sick. Joe has been left to take care of his equally old dog Kelev.  Joe does a good job of walking and petting, feeding and playing with Kelev, but he gets sick too.  Everyone thinks he misses Uncle Charlie too much. Joe has a big problem. He doesn’t know what to do.  When Uncle Charlie asks about Kelev, should Joe tell the truth or should he lie? His father says, “You always have to tell the truth.”  His mother says, “Charlie isn’t strong enough to hear the truth right now.”

Answer

[a] The Talmud, Shabbat 128b, says that breaking Shabbat and lighting a lamp for a sick blind woman is allowed because knowing that those taking care of her can see might make her feel more comfortable.

[b] The Talmud also teaches us, Moed Katan 23b, that it is wrong to give a patient a sense of hopelessness.

[c] Rabbi J. David Bleich concludes his study of this question by teaching that telling the truth to a sick patient depends on the patient.  Sometimes the patient should be spared. Sometimes the patient will get worse if the truth is discovered.

The answer here is knowing Uncle Charlie and using good judgment.

Joel Grishaver, “You Be the Judge”, pgs. 112-113

Used with permission from Joel Grishaver