Hi Marc,

Your dog seemed like a real character. I was moved by your story. Our pets become true soul mates, sometimes a lot more than our human soulmates, and I'm not sure why.  I think since they become so much a part of us; our spirit becomes part of our animal friends, and their spirit part of us.  After a while, they become extensions of  our personalities.

It must have been very painful for you when he was put down, although everytime I hear that happening to an animal who is ill, or just suffering out the last stages of their lives, I wish that we humans could be afforded the same.  I have always been a believer in humane euthanasia for consenting terminally ill adults..but the laws of our nation differ.  This society promotes the extension of life, even with severe, incurable illness, and I cannot understand why.   The citizens of Oregon have voted in support of reasoned euthanasia for informed and consented terminally ill individuals, but the Federal cowboys have tied the hands of any physician who uses narcotic analgesics and similar medications for patients to self administer, using the threats of a DEA enforced ban.  Such physicians will effectively lose their medical licenses and be unable to practice due to forfeiture of their DEA license, so the situation as it now stands is a stalemate.  I pray that when my time comes (and it looms closer each day), cooler heads will prevail OR that I will be living in Holland at the time!

Gene