Heath
08-11-2004, 10:42 AM
I just got this in e-mail today, if you've seen it before well too damn bad, you've just read it again!!!
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 Shane could learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as the 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, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving every-
body and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals
already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
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 Shane could learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as the 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, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving every-
body and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals
already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."