As painful as it it sometimes to read about the loss of pet ferrets,
I adore reading and re-reading the bridge greetings. Somehow these
wonderful words seem to comfort those who's heart is broken and who's
eyes are red from never-ending tears. And it is through these same
tears that I post this request....

We Shelter Moms and Dads all too often lose our kids - sometimes in
multiples. Such as my losses this week. I lost two and one was a
long-time shelter resident who, for what ever reason, was never adopted
and then he aged and became unadoptable. He was an enduring spirit and
he ate and maintained a good quality of life up until about two weeks
prior to his journey to the Bridge - Sunshine. And, then there is
Skylar. My second "spokesferret" who came to me in December of 2005.
During the chaos of the Katrina/Rita rescue and evacuee support here
in the tri-state area. Skye passed over the Bridge at 2:35 a.m. after
a long, long series of illnesses which retired him from his "special
envoy" duties at adopt-a-thons and teaching seminars. It has been said
that you know how much an animal is loved by its owner by the number
of illnesses being treated - Skye had soo many over the years...
insulinoma, adrenal disease .... But we both fought the long hard
battle together and finally we lost. I remember him now as he was a few
years ago in his prime. A beautiful medium-silver boy with the cutest
black button nose that always seemed to be looking up at me, slightly
tilted to one side, as if to say, "hi mom, just wanted to see if you
needed me for anything." He really didn't play too much, he was more
interested in his duties as negotiator and problem solver to the
battling and tussling fuzzies and comforter to the new arrivals.

Skye was a very special ferret to the shelter and to me. And I guess
that is why I posted this memorial today. But it does not make
Sunshine's passing any less painful for me. I have lost ferrets like
Sunshine who were with us at the sanctuary for many years - as well as
his long-time companion, Stormy, who crossed right after Christmas last
year. They were very close and, frankly, I am surprised and proud of
him that he went on as long as he did without his forever lady-friend,
Stormy. Nor was the passing of one of our gulf coast kids, Sally, any
easier -- or for our Beatrice, who was found on the side of a road
with her bonded mate, Beau. Beau has bonded with another boy and they
will, hopefully, find a wonderful "forever home." Beatrice was cancer
stricken when she was found and delivered to us last April. She was
loved and cared for until her passing in June. Beau was curled up on
top of her on their hammie. Lastly for this year.....a beautiful little
immigrant from Germany, Jasmine ("Jazzy"), who was as healthy and
feisty as a ferret could be at the age of 8 when she was surrendered
lasty November. She was the victim of a foreclosure and divorce. I met
her former owners at a Petco costume party a few years ago, we lost
to costumed dogs - it was rigged!!! (just kidding...) - but our four
ferrets were better looking and, besides, if they thought getting dogs
to wear costumes was difficult - they have never tried to clothe and
reclothe and again reclothe a protesting fuzzie ... now that is work!
But she went peacefully in her sleep in July. She was to be fostered
out that weekend. Doc seems to think it was heart failure. She was a
beautiful beautiful black sable mitt. But she did not like the shelter
life and, alas, she did not get out in time. But, again, she was
loved.....

Now this is just a 9 month period of time in a shelter's life....I have
lost countless ferrets over the years and I have memorialized each and
every one - their name, and the date they crossed. Boy do I ever have a
legion of kids waiting for me....couple of dogs, oodles of cats, and at
least 50 fuzzies......all mine I guess.

So my request is this,,,,,,is there a bridge greeting for shelter
ferrets? The kids that pass over to the Bridge who, for one reason or
another, were surrendered or were strays .... or by whatever mechanism
they arrived at the shelters .... never to make it out. Passed over
with only the love and heartbreak of those foster moms and dads out
there.

And if not, perhaps Skylar can perform one last act of being a
"spokesferret" for his "business" at Raisins. I love and adore each
and every one of our Greeters out there - each one possessing their
own special and unique manner of helping our kids cross the Bridge when
they leave us.....but I am partial to No. 421 because that Greeter
represents many of my kids and other kids out there...without love and
all alone - some arriving with no names. With only the love and comfort
of the shelter mom and dad who hold them during their final minutes on
this earth. Leaving us only with our tears and broken hearts ... all
over again.....it never ever seems to end.

Respectfully submitted with a broken heart once again,

Maren Dosher
Founder/President
Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary
Hernando, MS

[Posted in FML 6432]