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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."
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