From the 1st moment I saw her, I was so taken w/the little silver mitt jill
in my local pet store.  She was in w/2 others, but she really stood out in
the crowd.  I must have seen 100s of pet store kits, but I was never so
overwhelmingly drawn to one before.  I stood my ground & left that little
girl there because I am adamantly opposed to any operation that would sell
an animal without regard to their future welfare.
 
A few days later I received a call from a young woman who had to give up
her ferret.  It was a case of 'I'm 21 yrs old so I can do what I want,
regardless of whether I'm living in my parents house' purchase.  Well, her
parents thought otherwise.  Now, the day after she bought her, the store
refused to take her back & referred her to me.  Wouldn't you know it was
the same store.
 
I was dreaming to myself that it would be the same little jill I so
desperately wanted to take home every time I went in that store, never
believing I could be that lucky.  I couldn't believe my eyes when she
walked in w/her.  Through some strange twist of fate she was really mine.
 
She was just adorable.  She had a bright silver coat, mitts all the way
around, a beautifully full snow white bib, & the most endearing sparkling
onyx eyes.  She was the perfect addition to any family.  She loved &
enchanted everyone, & they her, human or fuzzy alike.  There wasn't even a
hint of a scuffle, not a neck grab, or a hiss w/any of my fuzzies.  They all
took to her immediately & played w/everyone.  She never minded being cuddled
& would shower you w/kisses at every opportunity.  She never even went
through a nippy stage.  She was always just her sweet lovable self.
 
Her adrenal surgery was long & drawn out because it was on the back of the
vena cava & she took a long time to come around from the anesthesia.  I
should have gone to see her that night.  The following morning at 10am she
was having trouble maintaining her body temperature.  I should have gone to
her then.  I received the call at 11:30 that they had done everything
possible to revive her.  She was gone.  All I could do now was pick up her
remains.  I will always carry the pain & guilt of knowing that I wasn't
there w/her when she passed away.  I'll never know if she gave up because I
wasn't there.
 
I buried my little darling today.
 
You will always hold a special place in my heart, my dear, sweet little
Anola Gay.
 
Juliana Quadrozzi
GA Domestic Ferret Association
visit our web page at:  http://www.mindspring.com/~jcrow/gdfa/index.html
[Posted in FML issue 2276]