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Dear Peggy , Before I begin, let me clarify my view of the term, SOUL. To me, the SOUL represents the humanity and the spirituality of the individual (to me 4leggeders are individuals). They have this undetected way of becoming an important attribute of a family structure. I hear you. And I agree! If you have listened to the silence around here, you know I've been thinking about the question you posed re DO ANIMALS HAVE SOULS? I've also been thinking of the courage and love it took for you to put this beautiful animal down. So many families commit the most horrendous acts of agony upon devoted animal family members in the name of LOVE, that it makes my already deteriorating spine collapse a bit further! It seems to me that from childhood I've heard that the eyes are the windows to the soul. If that is the case, all one has to do is to look into the eyes of animals he/she encounters. Emotions can clearly be observed. Can you look into the eyes of a gorilla and not believe he/she is touching your soul with his/her depths? Have you looked into the eyes of a 4leggeder who has been decorated with store-bought antlers for picture-taking at Christmas? Have you seen the shame and embarrassment? If you haven't, look again for the WHO of WHO they are is reflected in the gateway to their souls,. In my lifetime, I've rescued German Shepherds for at least 30-35 years. Strangely, my last 2 4-leggeders were anything but German Shepherds. One was the most devoted Labrador- named Lady Cream because she looked like cream. She lived on a friend's ranch. They had saved her from being put down; then fixed her up at the barn where she kept the horses company. I had lost my last German Shepherd rather tragically, and vowed not to get another 4leggeder. Not too long after, I received a call from a friend who advised me not to live on the ranchette without 4-legged company. I was instructed to check out some pups on the ranch where Lady Cream lived. From the first day I went to look at the pups, she was there. Each day thereafter-I was going to the ranch to acquaint myself with the puppy I had chosen, Lady Cream moved ever closer. I was constantly interrupted by her non-verbal messages. In the end, I agreed to let her visit for a weekend. When we got home, she nuzzled the cats; then walked into the house and didn't leave until she died from cancer which never showed itself until the very end. After she passed on, (I had been nondiagnosed by then) for a time I was able to power walk. However, some distance from home I would become very weary and feel I couldn't make it. I would feel a presence on my left side. Call it what you choose. Lady Cream got me home more than once. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peggy Willocks" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 3:35 PM Subject: Do Animals Have Souls? > I just wanted to share my journal entry for today with all of you. It helps > me to get rid of some heavy baggage and helps you to know me a little > better. I will just give you excerpts, and you can read the full entry > here: > > http://www.plwp.org/journal_view_peg.asp > > Peggy > > > > Journal excerpt: > > Today, July 12, 2005, we put our pet pug of nearly 15 years to sleep. > Euthanasia . . . we made the choice. He is blind with one eye ruptured, > nearly totally deaf, has horrible arthritis, and probably many other > ailments of which we're not aware. He gasps for air upon any exertion, and > I am sure would be content to just sleep all day for another 4-5 years. But > in dog years he is 98 - his body is slowly deteriorating, and the family > would not have him suffer for anything. We have all cried as much for his > loss as much as we would any other member of the family. For those who > don't have "family" pets, I can never explain how we are feeling. > > I reminisce about his adoption into our family. My son had graduated from > high school and his one request was for a puppy. We scanned the paper's > classified ads for the "perfect" dog at the perfect price. My husband > wanted a Boston terrier - those cute little black and white dogs with the > stubby tail. His parents had one, and that was his request. On the other > hand, I recalled when growing up that our neighbors had a Chinese pug - > anything but cute! But I remembered how unique that breed of dog was, and > there just above the ad for the Boston terriers was one for a pug. I told > the kids about it, but I didn't share this with my husband. Our last > warning as the three kids and I drove away was my husband yelling, "Don't > take the checkbook - we want to think about this." > > We decided to look at the pug first. The ad read, "Chinese pug puppy - > parents on the premises - $150." That was a bargain! But remember, we > didn't take the checkbook. We drove up to the trailer park lot and saw a > young man outside. This was before cell phones, so we hadn't called ahead > or anything. "We'd like to see the puppy you have for sale." The slender > man quickly went into the trailer and returned with the pup and his very > pregnant wife. It was love at first sight! His little wrinkled forehead > and curled up tail were irresistible! > > * * * * * > > Yes, we have good memories of Festus. Our walls and photo albums have > Festus displayed just like any other family member. And the grandkids loved > him, too. But they were beginning to beat up on him because he got in their > way and couldn't move fast enough to escape their path, oblivious to that > fact. And the pain of not seeing him every morning, not hearing him grunt, > snort and sputter each day, or yelping whenever I went outside without him > will take some getting used to, but I know that he is better off. > > I don't believe in human euthanasia, but I better understand that once this > earthly body has worn out or is riddled with illness to the point that one's > quality of life is so limited, then a prayer for that person to go on to > another dimension is not a bad thought. Once, my son asked me if animals > had a soul. Many years ago I told him "no;" but today I cannot imagine > Festus being anywhere but in "doggie heaven." > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinson send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff Parkinson ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn