A Dog's Purpose
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 we couldn't do anything 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 six-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 six-year-old continued, "Well,
dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to
stay as long."