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[sgrdolphin]

Some people choose life or death for creatures every day. If you eat meat it had to come from somewhere right? Others (like me) are closer to the source. I choose to feed my snakes, thus I deal with the death of rats and mice all the time. But it becomes a different matter when you are choosing to end a life that will not go on to benefit another life in a direct manner. Humans have a distorted view of life and death. We have altered our own lifespan in order to prolong suffering in many cases, yet are left without the legal right to choose our own end. Thankfully we do not treat our pets the same way. An old animal is not forced to live in a nursing home in chronic pain; in fact a “good” pet owner “alleviates” the pain by “putting the animal to sleep.” Or any other of the nice ways people like to say death! So here I am faced with just that choice. My old friend, Bak, is now 30 years old, lame, with a growth on his thyroid that is growing at a rapid rate. But my old friend you shall not suffer. I believe in nature and evolution. Yes, despite what some might think atheists have beliefs too! The reality is that my dear Bak has already lived almost three times as long as nature intended a horse to live. That alone is no reason to end a life, but it frees me from some of the guilt, he has had a long life, and a great one at that. Seeing his beautiful body ravaged by pain and weakened by age only strengthens my resolve to release him for the torture I know he is living with now. Although I am not one to believe in anthropomorphism I do think he understands and in his own horse way is grateful for the end of the pain that is about to come. He will go with dignity that is deserving of such a great animal. No midnight call to the vet, no broken bones; just tears of loss, but mostly tears of joy that I could have been as lucky as have to have known such a gallant steed as he. So on the morning of September 23, I along side my family and friends will say good bye to Bak for the final time. But please no one be sad, it is a time for us to celebrate the long and wonderful life that he has lived.