Since March, the world has watched live as a humpback whale lay stranded on a sandbank in German waters, far from the North Sea.

The stranded humpback whale was found in poor health, tangled in fishing gear with telltale cuts from a ship strike on its back. He was given the name Timmy.

Early attempts to rescue Timmy failed. As the weeks dragged on, public interest in his plight increased. The question was what to do. German politicians, animal welfare groups and concerned citizens debated euthanasia or rescue.

Despite experts pointing out Timmy was not well enough to be rescued, two millionaires reportedly chipped in €1.5m (A$2.4 million) to have him moved onto a barge filled with water, pulled by tugboat to the sea off the coast of Denmark and released on May 2. Just days ago, Timmy was found dead.

This story illustrates a clear principle – when it comes to an animal enduring suffering, we need to put their welfare first.

How did Timmy get stranded?

When a humpback whale becomes stranded, it’s usually a sign of poor health rather than poor navigation. Either way, the........

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