Randy of The Ferret Aid Society asked me to post on her behalf as she is
too overwhelmed with grief at the moment to post herself.
 
Harley has passed on to the Rainbow Bridge today, Wednesday June 26th.
 
Many of you have met Harley (and Randy) in real life and many of you know
Harley from his weekly posts here at the FML updating everyone on the
shelter.
 
Harley had begun to develop breathing problems earlier this week but
Harley has had ongoing breathing problems since the shelter got him back
in June of 1997.  Randy was concerned but had decided to wait to see how
he was since Harley was such a tough, strong guy.  At 3:00 am last night
she became concerned because his tongue and feet were beginning to turn
purple.  Randy took Harley to Guelph Vet Hospital.  They put him on
Oxygen for the night until Dr. Taylor arrived today.  Dr. Taylor decided
to leave Harley on the oxygen for the morning.  In the afternoon they
took Harley off the oxygen in order to perform blood tests and xrays.
They had just put Harley back on oxygen when the Cardiologist came by to
have a look at him.  Harley suddenly stopped breathing and could not be
brought back.  Randy is driving there this evening to see Harley and to
say goodbye.
 
Harley arrived at FAST in June of 1997 a victom of terrible violence,
neglect and abuse.  For the full story please see the web site at
www.ferretaid.org/harley
 
He would have been 7 years old this month.  Randy had planned to have a
birthday party for him.
 
Due to Harleys ongoing nasel problems, the fact that he had very little
motion in his jaw so could not protect himself and had to be fed soft
food, Harley was never adopted out.  Instead, he became a mascot for FAST
and an Icon to many people around the world.
 
Over the years there has sometimes been critizism of the lengths Randy
has gone to in order to get treatment for Harley.  Sometimes the opinons
were that she should put him down.  Sometimes people were not kind.  Yes,
she went to lengths but this little guy...this 2 pound ball of fluff....
he had more will to live, more spirit, more drive and determination than
I have seen in many ferrets.  His humour and his energy never ceased to
amaze me.  He came from such terrible abuse yet you never would have
known.  He wanted to live.  Time and time again Harley came bouncing back
from illness.
 
And Randy....she has been Harley's guardian angel in a world that had all
but abandoned him until she came into his life.  No wonder she acted as
his protector all these years.
 
I remember once, being at a Pet Show a few years ago and there was a
sketch artist drawing pictures of animals.  Paige and I decided to get a
picture drawn of Harley but we wanted it to be a surprise to Randy.  I
asked her if I could take Harley and if she would trust him with me.  She
let me take him and it was only after I got back that I found out she had
been pacing and worrying the entire time we were gone....getting more and
more wound up as time went by.
 
I could tell more stories...I am sure many people here could tell stories
and perhaps that is a good thing to do right now.  Randy is suffering from
so much grief...she told me she feels she has let him down somehow, that
she did not do enough for him, that he was her best friend.  She protected
him, nurtured him, took care of him and poured so much love and tenderness
into this ferret.  Perhaps some of you could remind her now with your
stories of what you saw with Randy and Harley.  She laughed today, if
only for a moment, when I reminded her of the pet show.
 
Harley came into Randy's life so damaged.  She saved him, protected him,
cared for him and loved him with all her heart.  She stood by him in the
face of enormous odds, giving him her courage and her strength.
 
I think she could use some of ours, as a community, now.
 
Randy can be contacted at [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3826]