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September 16, 2007
Dog gone souls?
Dogs have souls. So argues Burt Prelutsky: ...if an entire species is, by its very nature, warm-hearted, conscientious, loyal and brave, one would be hard-pressed to maintain that, in spite of all these virtues, they are soul-less.This does not come as news for Coco. She was very attached to Puff, and she spent a great deal of time looking for him after he died. Here they are not long before he had his fatal injection on my front porch:
It strikes me that there cannot be a definitive answer to whether dogs have souls until there is a definitive answer to whether humans have souls. But I think if we do, then they do. When you spend fifteen years together with a loyal being, and the familiarity, intimacy, and emotional interdependence develops and deepens, that's real life you've got invested. Life lived. A dog becomes a part of you, and you become a part of that dog. I can't prove souls, but I am convinced that if we've got 'em. they've got 'em. To illustrate, here's a real life age progression, showing me and Puff. 1990
2004
posted by Eric on 09.16.07 at 11:14 PM
Comments
I'm reminded of that old Twilight Zone episode where a hunter dives into a lake after his dog, who dove in to take on a raccoon. Both ended up at the gates of Heaven, whereupon the angel said that dog heaven was down the road a bit from human heaven. The man didn't want to part with his faithful companion and just kept on walking. I've currently got a pooch incarcerated in a cage in my garage. He was attacked in my backyard by a rabid raccoon. The easy way out would have been to give him the needle and if he gets sick, I'll push the plunger myself. But I had to take the chance on him being okay. He's a part of my family and deserves better than being put down simply because it's a lot of work to care for him. Anyway, 4 months have passed and he's fine, albeit anxious to get out. I'm asking the health department for an early release, but I doubt that they'll say okay. So two months to go. One final note: just because you live in the suburbs doesn't mean you shouldn't worry about your dog's rabies booster being a couple of months overdue. Once in a while, the wilderness comes to you. physics geek · September 18, 2007 12:12 PM Just last week my old cat Sam had to be put down. I buried him myself in the back yard but I like to think his soul is still sleeping on his favorite spot next to the couch. Every morning in that gray area between sleep and awake, I feel him walking across the bed. "That's just your subconcious memory Greg"...no, thats the soul of my buddy, free of the arthritis that kept him from being able to jump on the bed since 5 years ago. Now I'm crying. Could a souless creature create this kind of emotion? Sam had a soul and now his soul lives inside mine. Gregory · September 19, 2007 08:12 PM Post a comment
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No doubt 'bout it, but they do have souls. Much like ours, I think. Only somehow, different.
I lost my beloved Ariel, just over a year ago, July 15, '06. She was eleven. Her brother Harley, rests on my neck and shoulders (all 14lb of him), even as I type this.
He loves with a heart and soul that few people can match.
That photo of you and Puff in the car says it all. No doubt whatsover.
Love 'em all the more while they're here. It matters.
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX