The Editor lost his best friend on Monday.
Client No. 50353 died at about 11 a.m. from a dose of euthanasia solution. He was about 11½ years old—elderly by canine standards.
An ultrasound test showed Ben had been suffering silently with cancer of the spleen, eight years after surviving a cancerous chest tumor.
A purebred yellow Labrador retriever, he was adopted 10 years ago from an animal shelter.
Also known as Benners, Shinks and Schminky Boy, he had the classic retriever traits of intelligence and affection—plus classic loves:
Tennis balls, dog biscuits, travel, sleeping on human beds and diving into any body of water.
Ben was gentle with all living things except squirrels and dogs that invaded his territory.
The last words he heard were his favorities: “Uncle Tom (a loving playmate), cookie, bye-bye.”
All dogs like Ben really go to Heaven. (23 MAY 2004)
