Greiving a Friend

Our little guy is kind of a "lone ranger". He's 6 and that alone separates him from the rest of the kids here. He's pretty much- too young, too annoying, too loud, and a boy.
Last night everyone was busy. Too busy to do anything with him. I was typing my science lesson and answering him with my best, "oh yea?", "uh huh" and "okay".
Suddenly he was happy- excited even. He announced he had a friend. I look over and he's got one of those flies that wake up in the middle of winter that are alive but stupid and slow. He's got the fly walking on his arm and on his fingers. He's thrilled. He shows everyone his new pet. Basically everyone's disgusted but I let him keep playing with it because, (a) he's so happy and (b) he's now stopped talking to me and is talking to the fly.
Everything is great...until he drops the fly on the floor. Why does the dog, who was a second ago sound asleep on the couch, hear it fall, run across the kitchen and pop the fly into his mouth? (We pried the still body from his jaws of death)
Jeremiah was stunned. Then he cried. He kept sobbing that "the dog ate my best friend." I had to stop typing at this point and hug him fighting back any hint of amusement.
He asked if he could still keep the fly. I was afraid to answer. He got a piece of scotch tape out of the drawer, stuck the fly to the tape and stuck it on his bulletin board by his bed.
The boy needs a hamster.