Euthanasia: Why do dogs live shorter lives than humans?
A veterinarian was called to examine Belker, a 10-year-old Irish Setter. Belker’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their young son Shane were deeply attached to Belker and were hoping for a miracle.
The veterinarian examined Belker and discovered that he was dying from cancer. Unable to do anything for Belker, the vet offered to perform euthanasia for the dog at their home.
Arrangements were made, and Ron and Lisa felt it would be good for their 6-year-old son to witness the procedure and learn from the experience. They believed that Shane could learn something valuable from it.
The next day, surrounded by Belker’s family, the vet felt a sense of peace emanating from the dog. The child seemed calm and asked, “Do you understand what’s happening?” A few minutes later, Belker peacefully drifted off to sleep, never to wake up again.
The young child appeared to accept Belker’s passing without difficulty or confusion.
The family sat together for a while, contemplating why pets’ lives are shorter than humans. They asked the child, who had been listening intently, and he said, “I know.”
Surprised, the family turned to him.
What he said next was the most wonderful thing I had ever heard. I had not expected such a comforting explanation.
He said, “People are born to learn how to live a good life, to always love others and be kind, right? But dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t need to stay as long as we do.”
Live simply.
Love generously.
Act carefully.
Speak kindly.
If a dog were your teacher, you would learn things like:
Always run to greet your loved ones when they come home.
Never miss the chance for a walk.
Delight in the feeling of fresh air and wind on your face.
Take naps.
Stretch before getting up.
Run, jump, and play every day.
Thrive on attention and allow yourself to be touched by others.
Avoid biting; a simple growl will do.
On warm days, lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink plenty of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and move your whole body.
Find joy in the simple things… joy in a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want is buried, keep digging until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, sit quietly near them and gently cuddle up to them.
This is the secret of happiness that we can learn from dogs.
As my grandmother used to say, “Dogs have more friends than humans because dogs wag their tails instead of their tongues.” Remember that always.
