Life on the farm can be beautiful, most of the time the beauty is indescribable, but make no mistake, Nature is violent, chaotic, destructive...

Today, I burned a puppy!

I'd doused it with two cans of lighter fluid and set its little body ablaze.

Just a day ago, this sweet little girl, a puppy of the world-famous "Snowball" was running, jumping and playing, but it became feverish, began vomiting and died before treatment could be taken.

The veterinarian believed it was a contagious virus transmitted by birds and their feces to dogs, cats and possibly other farm critters. He said the virus stays on the ground for nine months and kills instantly, so we had to take action to protect the other animals.

I couldn't just bury the dog. It would've been dug up. If I left it to rot, more birds or other animals would be infected if they tried to eat it.

Today, I burned a puppy.