I was asked last year to talk to a dog that had been looked after by an ‘elderly dog sanctuary’ that I often volunteer it.
Despite her massive skull injury, the beautiful dog had the most incredible presence.
Here was the BIG question that I asked on behalf of my heartbroken client:
“We made a decision to end your life as we felt your health was deteriorating and didn’t want you to suffer any more than you already were, but we didn’t ask you if you were ready. I feel profoundly regretful about that. Was the timing right for you or did you still have things to do? Or should we have helped you leave your body earlier?”
You can feel the emotion behind the question, can’t you? The pain, the questioning, the guilt, the regret.
This was the dog’s answer:
“Trust that everything happens at the right time for everyone involved. If you feel regretful, then you’ll handle it differently next time so that in itself is a lesson for you, dear xxx (name removed).
But don’t feel regretful on account of me, because I trusted those that I had grown to love. I had become tired and the love that had brought me through the heartbreak wasn’t enough to keep me going anymore.
Eating had become difficult and the desire to go on was fading. I felt everyone’s sadness, the emotions, the doubt, and the love right up until I closed my eyes for the last time.
I left feeling valued and that in itself is precious.”
😱 I’ll give you a second to recover from the enormity of that statement.
We then asked her what the shelter could do better for dogs coming in the future:
“Animals need respect, they need to be seen.
They need to be understood and accepted, not attempted to be ‘fixed’, many will be past that and you will become upset and view it as failure if you try to constantly ‘fix’ the dogs.
If you respect them, ‘see’ them in their true nature and light, and support and encourage them, they’ll become the best that they can be – even if you can’t see it in your human eyes.
Be patient, be kind, be gentle and always be loving.
For that is what pulled me through every day.”
PROFOUND words don’t you think?
