This incredible human being brings his 19 year old dog to the lake everyday, to give him couple hours of sleep and sweet dreams. Shep can not sleep - he suffers from chronic arthritis. The joints hurt so much that the animal could barely pull on its hind legs. To save the animal from its torments, veterinarians offer to give it a lethal injection. However, the owner can not do that to his friend who saved him from suicide in the past. And now, to ease the pain of his four-legged friend, the man carries him to the lake and holds him in his arms for several hours so that he can sleep. Words can’t express this. When you give love, it comes back to you ten times over. "I want people to remember that when they see these shots," said Shep's owner, John Enger. ❤️🐾
Ronald Reinhardt
4mo
Post or re-post is a non-issue, but the cynicism of that line of comment shows that we have a long way to go as humans being. When we can act toward each other the way John Enger treated Shep, we'll have achieved a milestone in humanity and what it means to be human. In the meantime, we'll all do our best, from those who consciously create a better world to those who, consciously or unconsciously tear it apart.
Anthony L.
4mo
FYI this dog passed many years ago.
Anthony Jones
4mo
Dogs are some of the best people I've known.
Tara Weinmann
4mo
It is heartbreaking to have to put your dog down. I had to put both of mine down in the past year, had them for 15 and 16 years. Dogs are the only thing that loves you unconditionally, you can treat them worse than dirt and they will wag their tail every time you walk into the room and are happy just to see you. But if you loved your dog unconditionally you would let him go. He's in pain existing.
Jim Farquhar
4mo
As a dog lover and have my own best friend both present and past I empathise and applaud giving his best friend much needed rest and love. However, sometimes as hard as the decision is you need to put your best friends suffering ahead of your own emotional attachement and needs. I have been here and with my own dog who suffered arthritis and after many operations /recuperations I saw the finally the light had gone out from his eyes and he finally needed a rest and could not continue. We took the hardest decision I ever had to make to put him at peace and stop The suffering. Only you can ever know when enough is enough but still applaud every effort to give your dog the best life and opportunity possible. A dog leaves paw prints in our ♥️
George Andrews
4mo
Dogs have but one flaw…they do not live long enough!
Robert Clark
4mo
A coworker years ago told me, “two weeks too soon is better than one day too late.” We love our dogs. We’ll do anything for them, spare no expense for emergency surgery, take a road trip so they can accompany us versus a plane, take off work because they are sick, etc. But, at some point, we have to say goodbye. A vet told me with our last good boy that sometimes we hold on too long because we are suffering and can’t say goodbye, when really we must to ease the suffering of our good boy. I’ve seen this photo numerous times. Heartbreaking and lovely. Then, in my head I ask: what about the hours out of the water? What is that quality of life for that good boy? It’s hard. It behooves us to reflect and to really consider when it is the right time to say goodbye to a beloved pet, a relationship, a job. And when sometimes when we say goodbye, it is what’s best for them, not us.
Kyle Lundy
4mo
Allowing someone or something to continue when pain is all they know is just wrong. Have a relative who killed their spouse to aliviate the endless pain that doctors and medicine could not relieve. To me ending suffering that is endless is real love and takes a strength that very few possess. We keep those around that we should allow to expire or aid in dying do to selfish reasons not love. True love will give you the strength to end suffering not prolonging it so we don’t lose them
Jamie McCormick
4mo
We don’t deserve them but thank god we have them in our lives. 🐾🐾❤️
Agricultural Irrigation Manager
4moI understand the commitment, compassion and love intended by this post. It is indeed touching. Having owned dogs all my life, I get it. It is wrong to keep this dog suffering so. Take the love and compassion to a higher level and let it go and end its suffering. I know, I've done it and experienced the pain. This is not true selfless love here, despite appearances. Don't keep the animal in misery to ease your pain.