Although I got to stroke your head, hold you and send you good wishes, the news that Ted aka "Hop A Long" FerretWise Mitchell had passed peacefully with his Mom and Dad beside him, came with a deep loss. I can think of no little one who came with such need to Ferret Wise in recent memory. Teddy was abandoned at a vet office in Plymouth NH on June 2, 2006. He was estimated at 5 years of age and had a broken left front leg. With the help of Steph and her Friends of Ferret Services of Freedom he was relayed to Concord, NH , transferred into the Ferret Wise vehicle and arrived after closing at our vets office. An x ray showed the nasty break of the frail bones in the leg. Ted was given pain meds and early in the AM I relayed him over to Dr Sandra Mitchell in NY where she had arranged the skills of veterinarian Dr Don Factor for the surgery a surgery which involved breaking the bones and resetting them. It was a wonderful network of love and kindness that supported Ted in his healing process. He would remain an adopted companion to Dr Sandra, her Mom Eleanore and to Bob Mitchell where he would have many ferret friends and some special buddies Chancey and Watson especially. Teddy did well though his leg was never perfect, he could scale the carpeted cat tree and toddle anywhere he wanted. He especially was pleased with his yogi treats he would stash under rugs for a later date. Teddy had a perfect love filled life after rescue. The dreams that rescues are made of. I am certainly glad I was allowed the time to witness his great forever home and visit with him again in a recent trip to Maine. I would like to extend great love and thanks to those who helped cover costs with Ted's ( Hop A Long's) rescue adventure & care, and to those who support the work of Ferret Wise as we continue to assist the hospice network of unwanted ferrets and continue to refer ferrets into second homes and not least to educate the public on behalf of ferrets everywhere. And certainly I would like to send undying gratitude to Dr Mitchell, who not only opened her heart, but her home in providing Ted with all the advantages of a loved companion and expert veterinary care. He had not been feeling well as of late but her expert care kept him happy, and able to stash his favorite Yogi treats! Ted developed a palatine artery bleed last weekend which is suspected of being caused by his favorite kibble. I was fortunate enough to witness the expert care and love as Dr Sandra sedated him and cauterized the bleed with silver nitrate. His PCV values were half of normal, he had lost a fair amount of blood.... later lab results who show that he had no platelets... he was in full renal failure. At home with the love of his folks by his side Ted was allowed to drift off to Rainbbow Bridge. He certainly leaves behind some teary humans.... he also is now reunited with his ferret friends that left before him. Dance proud our Hop A Long boy. You lived through pain and loved the best. We will all miss you so very very much. Alicia, a shelter Mom www.ferretwise.org [Posted in FML 6390]