Reprinted from an e-mail we
received & wanted to share
"Being a veterinarian, I was called
to examine a 10 year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's
owners Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their boy, Shane, were all very
attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was
dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't help Belker, and
offered to perform the euthanasia procedure in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and
Lisa told me that they thought it would be good for six-year-old
Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane
might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar
catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed
so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if
he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker
slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept
Belker's transition without difficulty or confusion. We sat
together for awhile after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the
sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who
had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him.
What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more
comforting explanation.
He said, "People are born so that
they can learn how to live a good life-like loving everybody all
the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do
that, so they don't have to stay as long."