Why Dogs Don't Live Longer than 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 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 the 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.
-Anonymous-