It's Raining.
 
In the past I have heard the comment that when it rains-- those are angel's
tears.  I never thought but this time -- well just maybe so.  We lost a
dear ferret here at the shelter Angus.  Angus was a biter to many-- a
fighter to me.  Angus arrived at the young age of 8 months - the first
time around.  He had been bought to keep a year old ferret company- as the
purchasing owners had started to grow tired of spending time with their
pet.  Angus was a nippy baby-- and they did not take the time to work with
him.  He wanted to play and nipped at ankles-- what Angus got-- repeatedly
was kicked in the head, kicked in the gut- kicked off the walls- because
he wanted attention- he wanted to play.  So-- Angus got angry.  He also
learned NOT to trust humans.  When we finally heard about them the two
ferrets had been put out of doors in a cage for moths-- no human
interaction at all - abandonment - legal style.  I suppose there is not
a shelter person out there who doesn't see this from time to time.
 
sigh........... As much as I worked with Angus, he still would bite.  Never
would he bite a face or arm, only the feet, ankle or calf of the leg.  Over
a LONG time Angus would try very hard to be good-- you could see he wanted
to-- but a noise or motion would startle him--while doing shelter chores
and YOWWWEE he would fly from under a chair, behind a pile of toys and
sink those pearly whites deep into the flesh of my calves!  Poor Angus.
We studied him-- it was similar to a Post traumatic Stress reaction--
something would "trigger" This kept him and his friend from being adopted
out.  I could have placed Rex over and over a slight, mild mannered gentle
boy of light silver color, but that was the ONLY constant Angus had - in
his fear filled world.  Finally a professional man & wife showed up at the
shelter.  They fell in love with Rex -- I told them the story and that
Angus needed to be with him in an environment with someone who would work
with him.  They came back-- and I was elated to see that after more than a
year my boys would have a home.
 
Six months later I got a phone call-- Angus was losing hair, his behavior
was getting more aggressive-- off th\to the vet he went -- adrenal surgery-
left gland removed, right reported possibly affected.  Angus returned with
them home.  He healed physically-- but the balding remained- the aggressive
behavior remained-- they finally dropped both the boys back off at the
shelter-- reporting life has changed -- NO MORE TIME.  sigh....
 
Rex was always happy, a bit stressed at the changed but he did adapt.
Angus on the other hand became perhaps more aggressive than he was
originally-- he felt betrayed is my guess.  So we began again working
working on building trust..  YOWEEE!  BUT THEN - Finally a few months ago--
Rex was showing initial balding on the flanks- we were lucky as neither
boy had UTI problems-- so they were both put on Lupron.  By the second
injection-- 5 weeks after the initial injection Angus's rough course coat
was soft again, he feels smooth and soft, Rex had peach coloe\red fuzz
growing in where the light silver had been-- we were all elated.  Angus
also STOPPED biting-- he would be the first to run over to greet me as I
picked him up- scritched behind his ears and told him how special he was.
I marvelled that the progress was so obvious and wondered if the behavior
was due to Lupron.  Yesterday morning I opened up the shelter with the
traditional " How is everybody?" and Angus and all the others got ferretone
and nails clipped, and lots of hugs.  I went up to do ferret laundry and
start working on an educational exhibit.  I returned to the shelter hours
later to find Angus prone on the floor.  He was limp, his body temp cooled.
I gathered him up he was unconscious.  I got a heated waterbed under him,
used karo- and did some gentle body & heart massage.  Calls to the vet were
unsuccessful.  I tried to rally him as best I could-- he was still there--
though I could see he was ready to go-- his vacant eyes wanted release.
I held him and hugged him his body got warmer, he started to gasp deep
breaths, I told him he was loved-- and if he needed to go - I would
understand ( maybe I lied okay?).  It was within a moment I saw a
difference in him- his eyes were no longer vacant-- he tried to move his
head-- he turned it toward me -- then there were three deep gasps-- and
Angus left us all behind.  It must have been his heart- though the vet was
on vacation, and the back up vet off with a death in the family-- it must
have been meant to be-- that Angus would leave this day and NO more feet
will hurt you baby!  Yes it has continued to rain-- and now I believe
somehow it may well be those Angel's tears - their tears of joy that they
were able to bring a little lost boy who had been betrayed more than once
by humans to a better place.
 
( I will meet you again Angus -- Rex was looking for you today -- I told
him yes, Angus is here-- we just can't see him now!)
 
The shelter has another group of ferret beds on ebay-- I sha'nt list them
here-- now those interested in helping us continue to help the lost kids--
can search ebay under " ferret sleepers" and find a nice assortment of top
opening hammocks.  Proceeds do help us to keep the shelter open for them.
 
Please consider joining us for "Ferretstock" September 9th!
more information can be located on the web calendar at
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
For the many faces at Ferret Wise
Alicia
[Posted in FML issue 3130]