Irish Wolfhound
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
owner, his wife, and their little boy 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, the owners told me they
thought it would be good for the four-year-old boy to
observe the procedure. They felt he could learn
something from the experience. The next day, I felt
the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family
surrounded him. The little boy 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.
The little boy, 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 everybody 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."