It is with great sadness that I tell you about Radar, sweet Radar. After a particularly awful Monday night, we took Radar to the vet for chest x-rays. Pictures of his chest revealed so much "stuff" that we had no other humane option but to have him euthanized. The last four months have been filled with unlinkable symptoms that have left us scratching our heads in confusion. Nothing seemed to connect. This sweet dog didn't even exhibit lung issues until 6 days ago, yet this was the telling sign. For the sake of putting questions to rest, we all agreed that an autopsy was necessary. What David (our vet) found was a 64lb body that was riddled with cancer....specifically his lungs, spleen, and extensive tissue within his abdomen. I can only assume that he must have had neuro and osteo involvement as well, given the extent of the cancer and his symptoms. How he managed to have good days (including swimming in the pond 6 days ago) is beyond all of our comprehension. What a trooper, ambassador, therapist and tender sweet friend we have lost. As he was the official greeter to all at Ararat Acres, I can be pretty sure that he has assumed that position at the pearly gates.
He was "The Love Radar". He loved all, and he was loved by all.
As I type, Radar is laboring away, grabbing breaths. We have an appointment at the vet this afternoon for x-rays. I am not looking forward to what we will most likely find. My greatest concern is that we do not cause him to live the remainder of his life with extraordinary pain and discomfort. Maybe God needs another good dog up there sometime soon? If so, I am willing to share.....hard as that may be.
God means for us to enjoy all that he has entrusted to us. But stewardship isn't always fun and games, nor is it for the faint of heart or spirit. We should feel obligated and grateful to have the opportunity to be good stewards of what has been given to us, whether that be children, inanimate possessions, land, or animals. Several old testament books in the Bible, including Leviticus and Deuteronomy, are not horribly interesting in that there are no great stories about David and Goliath, Samson and Delilah, or Solomon's great temple. However, there are tremendous amounts of information regarding how we should act in all aspects of our lives. Not surprisingly, God often includes treatment of the animals and land that we have been entrusted. We know now (thousands of years later) His reasons for including crop rotations, preserving the balance of animal populations, and the proper handling of body fluids into his "manual of life".....although I'm sure back in 1500BC, the Israelites were scratching their heads trying to figure out exactly why God thought such things were important.
Here is part of a brief article from a Christian magazine, Creation Care : God is concerned about more than plants and dirt. He is also an avid animal lover. When the Israelites were enjoying an all-inclusive wilderness vacation, God oddly asks Moses to preserve the balance in animal populations, to be a "game warden of sorts". Job and Deuteronomy reveal a respect and admiration for animals we often overlook. Psalm 50:10-11 reminds us to whom the animals belong: "For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the bird of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine." God says, "I have created and care for the animals. They are good." Proverbs 12:10 puts it in simple terms: "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals." Solomon says that a person of character and righteousness- someone who reflects God's heart- should also be compassionate towards animals. This is actually an excerpt from the book, Green like God, by Jonathan Merritt. It is newly available on Amazon, and hopefully, I will be able to find a copy and read it someday.....the reviews on Amazon are all "thumb's up".
We can't save them all here at Ararat Acres, but we can make a difference in the lives for whom we have been entrusted to care.
