This is Susie Lee with the Ferret & Dove Sanctuary.
 
Just over a year ago we recieved a pair of ferrets from another animal
shelter (cat-and-dog kind) of whom one was estimated at six-to-seven
years, that was a sable boy named Bandit Meriadoc, and the other was his
buddy named Mesquite Smokey who was estimated a year older.  Mesquite
Smokey came in with an enormous rock-hard tumor taking up nearly half
his tired self and died in his sleep about ten days or so after having
come in.  Bandit-Merry had kept close by his first friend, keeping him
warm and grooming and taking care of him up to the last.
 
So, after that, we got in a pair of grumpier ferrets whom we had to
separate from one another, which were Fabulous Flossie and Booncy
Snodgrass.  Both of these last are still with us.  For the next six
months, Bandit Meriadoc attached himself to Booncy and would even put up
with Booncy's occasional snaps and grumpiness, returning only kindnesses
for each grump, even though Bandit-Merry was the larger of the two boys.
Then Sandy LeQuick lost her brother, Spanky LeBeau and she was alone and
genuinely lonesome.  Booncy Snodgrass began inflicting actual (painful)
bites on Bandit-Merry more than the former grumps and nips so we let
Sandy LeQuick and Bandit Meriadoc get together.  This was a lovely
friendship!  At first, Sandy LeQuick nipped and barked and did some
"I don't Know You!" grumping of her own, but neither of them ever made
any moves to hurt one another.  In fact, Bandit-Merry just turned on
his friendly loving charm full throttle, again returning only kindness
for each nip until within a few days, they were inseparable friends,
sleeping curled up around one another at every opportunity.
 
During their playtimes, they'd each still come and sniff noses with
Booncy Snodgrass who was completely disintersted as long as he could add
to his private cache of stolen socks, but at least a lot less grumpy.  To
every other ferret he ever encountered, no matter what their attitudes,
Bandit Meriadoc always was the Good Friend with a kindly lick and nuzzle
for anyone who had need of a friend-ferret.  With the company of Sandy
LeQuick, he (and she!) each grew roly-poly and with thick, luxuriant fur.
 
Over the last short weeks, though, Bandit-Merry had slowed down and
developed a sudden tumorous growth ominously like that of his earlier
buddy, Mesquite Smokey.  He was sheduled for surgery two days ago and
it turned out that he had a metastasis of big and small tumors with a
really mean one right on his liver.  After his surgery, at which the
vet could only remove the biggest tumors and had to leave a large
portion of the smaller ones, including the liver-meanie, he recovered
enough to have one watered-down soupy meal and a couple of drinks of
water and then, at our 2a.m.  check, he was siezing and died within a
very few minutes right in Wesley's arms.  Victim of a blood clot to
the brain which tends to occur in about fifty percent of after-surgery
deaths, the other fifty percent being blood clots to the lungs.
 
Yet Bandit Meriadoc leaves a legacy!  His persistent friendliness has
been warming and inspiring to at least one ferret...Sandy LeQuick.  After
sniffing Bandit-Merry's body, she actually cried, whimpering in her cies
in the way of ferrets.  And then she picked up her little head as if
making a decision.
 
Four hours later, she accepted two stranger ferrets in a very much
"Bandit Meriadoc" style, into her large, re-cleaned cage.  And so, now,
in example set by The Good Friend, Bandit Meriadoc, Sandy LeQuick has two
new friends in Bandit WaggyTail and his little buddy Farrah Ferrette.
 
Rest gently, now, Bandit Meriadoc.  And thank you , dear Good Friend
ferret.
 
Susie Lee
 
(Here we are..
http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/ferret_rescuer/index.html ).
[Posted in FML issue 4468]