Cassie left for the Bridge last night of an apparent heart attack. She died quickly, with no indication of suffering. for what may have been the first time in her too-short life. Many people knew Cassie as the profoundly handicapped albino from the Last Chance Ferret Rescue. She was a staple at the Philadelphia Pherret Phestival, and an ambassador of goodwill for all of us. Cassie came to the rescue through a fortunate accident: Diane had gone to one of the many nearby SPCAs that call us when a ferret comes in. She was there to pick up an entirely different ferret. When Diane asked about the ferret, one of the women behind the counter asked, "Do you mean the white one?" "Oh, no," said a second woman. "That one's scheduled to be put down." "No it's not," replied Diane instantly. "Bring her out. She's coming with me." At this point, Diane hadn't seen or heard anything about a white ferret. It didn't matter; no one was putting a ferret down for no reason on her watch. What they brought out was the most horribly handicapped ferret we'd ever seen. Her back was twisted and misaligned; we later learned it had been broken in three places, and allowed to heal crooked. Her hind legs were twisted and malformed, and completely atrophied. Further examination revealed her canine teeth had been cut. She'd been found wandering the streets of Philadelphia. Since she couldn't run - or even walk - we doubted that she'd escaped. The nature of her injuries coupled with where she'd been found suggested she may have been used in a dog-fighting ring, to excite the dogs. Diane named her Cassandra - Cassie for short - and she became a permanent resident of the Rescue. Through it all, Cassie was a happy little ferret. When she first got here, her front legs still worked, and when she was excited, she would dance - only her front legs moved, but there was no mistaking her joy. Back then she could still drag herself around the room. We tried giving her a cart, but she never really got the hang of it, so we left her alone. Over time, her front legs also began to atrophy; toward the end, the only way she could move herself was by twisting and turning her head against the floor. But it didn't stop her from trying. Marty and Joyce Morley came to our rescue about three years ago. From the first moment, they became our angels. To this day, they help with the bulk of our expenses; were it not for them, the Last Chance Ferret Rescue would be no more. Marty fell in love with Cassie at first sight, and began working on Diane to allow him to take her home. Diane wasn't an easy sell, but after about 6 months, decided to let Cassie go with them, on a trial basis. She came back for visits and the occasional vacation, but she spent the rest of her life with the Morleys. And little wonder: Cassie would spend nearly every minute with Marty. She'd lie by the side of the pool or hot tub, and go with them for walks on the boardwalk during the summer. She'd sit on his lap when he was at his desk, working on his computer or handling phone calls. She loved watermelon, so Marty would make sure it was available for her year round. And when there was a birthday, Cassie would sit at the table in her own high chair, and share a little piece of birthday cake. I can't think of a single family event over the last couple years where Cassie didn't take center stage. And you could tell she loved the attention. Cassie died on Thursday, May 24, at about 9:40 PM. She leaves behind her special ferret friend Nelly, and her human families, Marty and Joyce Morley, their daughters Brianna and Jessie, and her rescue family, Diane and Steve Bodofsky of the Last Chance Ferret Rescue, and their daughter, Tara. Cassie will never know how deeply she touched the lives of so many people in her short, difficult life. She will be missed for many years to come. Steve Bodofsky The Last Chance Ferret Rescue, and The New Rainbow Bridge www.newrainbowbridge.com [Posted in FML 5619]