looking for dog story [Archive]

lv4dogs

11-14-2006, 03:45 PM

Has anyone read that short little story about a boy who has their dog put to sleep at home and the family & vet are talking about why dogs live such short lives? The boy speaks up & says something about the fact that dogs know how to love or be happy or the like thats why they live short lives?

I am looking for it so I can share it with a pet loss support group I am involved with. If anyone can share it or give me a link to it I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a million.

lv4dogs

11-14-2006, 03:55 PM

found it. lol

here it is in case someone has not seen it yet

A four year old child's wisdom: Why dogs do not 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 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."