Wow--there have been so many amazing stories on the FML recently--funny,
sad, touching.  I'm definitely one of the people who reads the FML for
the 'ferret interest' stories as well as the factual stuff.
 
Re: euthanasia
I've always had a lot of animals (mostly cats, mostly rescues) so I've had
a number of animals die.  There have been one or two I let linger longer
than I should have because I couldn't bear to lose them, but now when I
think an animal is dying, I will usually have him or her put to sleep.
 
However, I have also had several animals (who were extremely sick) die
at home, usually in the middle of the night or before the vet's opening
hours. I can think of 2 in particular who I was able to "let go" of,
telling them how much I loved them and how much I would miss them,
but that it was okay for them to go because I knew they were dying.
 
I also try to ask the animal themselves if they are ready to go.  I think
you will often know, just by how they are looking at you, or a feeling you
get from them.  I don't think animals fear death the way a lot of us do,
but I agree with whoever said that animals will often hang on because they
know we need them and have a hard time letting go of them.  I believe that
an animal friend would be the last to judge us for doing what we thought
was the most humane thing at the time, and also that each time is different.
 
I think this is why it's important to have a compassionate vet who you can
ask to put an animal to sleep if the time comes.  Myself, I think there
are times when euthanasia is the kindest thing you can do.  I haven't had
experience with a ferret being put to sleep (which sounds a little bit
different) but I've always been with the cat or dog and am amazed how they
are with you one second, and then they're gone--it's that quick (if done
correctly).  Again, I think this is why it's so important to have a vet
you really trust and feel is compassionate, not just competent-- there are
enough good vets out there that if I don't like the way someone treats me
or my animals, I'll find another vet.
 
******
I like the idea of green ribbons on antennas in California to support
legalizing fuzzies.  I hope it catches on!
 
To James M: Sounds as if Nibbles comes from the long and distinguished line
of surfing ferrets, including Ralph, Lebby and others out there who like to
hop on toys and tootle around the house.
 
Re: night ferrets or trying to sleep with the lunatics
On the rare occasions when I let Cinderella have free run of the whole house
at night, she always wakes up at exactly 2:30 am. She will either start the
middle of the night face licking ritual, or head straight for my ankles and
chomp. This is my cue that she needs an early morning snack and I usually put
her in another room with a dish of food (it doesn't matter that she had access
to food already.) Norm and Ralph tend to sleep through the night, but they
have been known to do the ferret-bed-trampolining and chasing-eachother-over-
and-under-the-covers-like-lunatics ritual at 5:00 am. The cats and dog find
this totally uncivilized.
 
Keeping fingers crossed for Massachusetts,
--Ronnie
Cinderella, Norm & Ralph's mom
("Are we gonna be legal soon, huh? huh? Want us to go down to the State
House and pull their socks off?")
[Posted in FML issue 1189]