Is so recomforting that most of the people in this list understand and shares the love feelings I have for my ferret and other animals, Amber couldn't have said better: "...To say that their animals are not their children is a slap in the face to them.... when one of them passes, it is like you and I losing our human children... " For me is not a problem to love my ferret as much as a human kid, I don't even love him that way because I can not have a human child, is my choice not to have one and that does not stops me for giving all my love and care to a creature that I didn't gave birth but that I love exactly as if I had. Eventhough is painfull to be aware of their so short life, is like having a baby that the doctor already warns you that is not going to survive for more than 7 or 8 years. So everytime I am so happy with my baby I can't help thinking that is not going to last as long as I would like, that is the only difference I can really see with a human child and a fuzzy baby, and of course the responsability of educating a human being that will have to take a place in society one day, and in my case I can rotten spoil my Gigio as much as I want as he will never have to work to live. No problem with the Rainbow Bridge neither, which for me is the same place we know as Heaven, I know that if there is something after this life for us there would be for them too. So I don't have any problem being the mother of a ferret and living my role proudly, if somobody founds it annoying, well, then that somebody is the one that has a problem. Best regards, Caterina and Gigio. [Posted in FML issue 3905]