Some
of the most poignant moments I spend as a veterinarian are
those spent with my clients assisting the transition of
my animal patients from this world to the next. When living
becomes a burden, whether from pain or loss of normal functions,
I can help a family by ensuring that their beloved pet has
an easy passing. Making this final decision is painful,
and I have often felt powerless to comfort the grieving
owners. That was before I met Shane.
I
had been called to examine a ten-year-old blue heeler,
named Belker, who had developed a serious health problem.
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 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 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."
By
Robin Downing, D.V.M., Published in:
Chicken
Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul ©1998
Also
Read Dr. Downing's Book:
Pets
Living With Cancer: A Pet Owner's Resource
(Contributed by Jim in Galena, Illinois)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK
HERE for OUR FREE LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR or TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY
