Hello Everyone, I am so thankful and relieved to know that their are others out there like my husband and I who absolutely adore ferrets. With the recent loss of our beloved Sid a week ago today all of the support we have received from complete strangers touches us deeply. The sympathy cards we received via E-mail were amazing and they just meant so very much to us. Losing something you love so much is never easy, but both of us were surprised by the magnitude of our grief. I always feared that one day we would loose one of our fuzzbutts, but I really didn't know what it would be like because up until now we had never lost one. It was quick, unexpected and very tragic. I think what made it even more difficult was that a lot of people view loosing a pet as insignificant, especially a ferret. For some reason they think dogs and cats are of a higher status? We love all animals! Size does not matter! This has been a learning experience for both of us, a very painful one, but unfortunately death is something unavoidable. Sid was not here long enough. I know we give our ferrets the best that we can. We spoil them and love them and we live our lives around them. I appreciate all the gifts that they give us and I treasure all of the wonderful moments that we have shared. I believe that the bond we have with our ferrets is indescribable to someone that does not own a ferret. Most of our friends and family have learned to respect our obsession with Phoebe, Molly, Sid and Ellie, but I acknowledge the fact that they think we are weird, that we are wasting our time, spending too much money etc. We don't care! Sometimes there comments are hurtful, but we have learned to let it go. We have no children yet and in many ways they our like our children. Sometimes I think that they may be more work than children! Well, anyway I want to thank all of you for your support! We have three ferrets now, all have had a least one surgery, two have some type of cancer and one has some strange intestinal thing? I know someday we will loose another beloved furbaby and I still dread it, but I know we will get through it. We are grateful for each moment they are healthy and with us! Kelly and Sean [Posted in FML issue 4050]