Lut - you may want to share this with Francine. Zippy posted it in General, and it is wonderful.
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I love this story and had to share.

Being a veterinarian,I had been called to examine a 10-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 their 4-year-old son Shane to observe the procedure.They felt Shane could learn something form 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 one last time that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within minutes Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's tranisiton without difficulty or confusion.
We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animals lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What he said stunned me - I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.
He said, "Everbody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life and like love everybody and being nice right?" The four-year-old continured, "Well animals already know how to do that so they don't have to stay as long."