Why Dogs Don't Live As Long As People
Being a veterinarian, I had been
called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker.
The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were
all very much attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and
found he was dying of cancer. I told the
family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform
the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we
made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good
for their four-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 any difficulty or
confusion.
We sat together for a
while 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?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how
to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
Live simply. Love
generously. Care deeply. Speak
kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Contributed
by
Karin
Tymn
Defining
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Copyright
© 2006, Jace Carlton. All International Rights Reserved.
