As painful as it it sometimes to read about the loss of pet ferrets, I adore reading and re-reading the bridge greetings. Somehow these wonderful words seem to comfort those who's heart is broken and who's eyes are red from never-ending tears. And it is through these same tears that I post this request.... We Shelter Moms and Dads all too often lose our kids - sometimes in multiples. Such as my losses this week. I lost two and one was a long-time shelter resident who, for what ever reason, was never adopted and then he aged and became unadoptable. He was an enduring spirit and he ate and maintained a good quality of life up until about two weeks prior to his journey to the Bridge - Sunshine. And, then there is Skylar. My second "spokesferret" who came to me in December of 2005. During the chaos of the Katrina/Rita rescue and evacuee support here in the tri-state area. Skye passed over the Bridge at 2:35 a.m. after a long, long series of illnesses which retired him from his "special envoy" duties at adopt-a-thons and teaching seminars. It has been said that you know how much an animal is loved by its owner by the number of illnesses being treated - Skye had soo many over the years... insulinoma, adrenal disease .... But we both fought the long hard battle together and finally we lost. I remember him now as he was a few years ago in his prime. A beautiful medium-silver boy with the cutest black button nose that always seemed to be looking up at me, slightly tilted to one side, as if to say, "hi mom, just wanted to see if you needed me for anything." He really didn't play too much, he was more interested in his duties as negotiator and problem solver to the battling and tussling fuzzies and comforter to the new arrivals. Skye was a very special ferret to the shelter and to me. And I guess that is why I posted this memorial today. But it does not make Sunshine's passing any less painful for me. I have lost ferrets like Sunshine who were with us at the sanctuary for many years - as well as his long-time companion, Stormy, who crossed right after Christmas last year. They were very close and, frankly, I am surprised and proud of him that he went on as long as he did without his forever lady-friend, Stormy. Nor was the passing of one of our gulf coast kids, Sally, any easier -- or for our Beatrice, who was found on the side of a road with her bonded mate, Beau. Beau has bonded with another boy and they will, hopefully, find a wonderful "forever home." Beatrice was cancer stricken when she was found and delivered to us last April. She was loved and cared for until her passing in June. Beau was curled up on top of her on their hammie. Lastly for this year.....a beautiful little immigrant from Germany, Jasmine ("Jazzy"), who was as healthy and feisty as a ferret could be at the age of 8 when she was surrendered lasty November. She was the victim of a foreclosure and divorce. I met her former owners at a Petco costume party a few years ago, we lost to costumed dogs - it was rigged!!! (just kidding...) - but our four ferrets were better looking and, besides, if they thought getting dogs to wear costumes was difficult - they have never tried to clothe and reclothe and again reclothe a protesting fuzzie ... now that is work! But she went peacefully in her sleep in July. She was to be fostered out that weekend. Doc seems to think it was heart failure. She was a beautiful beautiful black sable mitt. But she did not like the shelter life and, alas, she did not get out in time. But, again, she was loved..... Now this is just a 9 month period of time in a shelter's life....I have lost countless ferrets over the years and I have memorialized each and every one - their name, and the date they crossed. Boy do I ever have a legion of kids waiting for me....couple of dogs, oodles of cats, and at least 50 fuzzies......all mine I guess. So my request is this,,,,,,is there a bridge greeting for shelter ferrets? The kids that pass over to the Bridge who, for one reason or another, were surrendered or were strays .... or by whatever mechanism they arrived at the shelters .... never to make it out. Passed over with only the love and heartbreak of those foster moms and dads out there. And if not, perhaps Skylar can perform one last act of being a "spokesferret" for his "business" at Raisins. I love and adore each and every one of our Greeters out there - each one possessing their own special and unique manner of helping our kids cross the Bridge when they leave us.....but I am partial to No. 421 because that Greeter represents many of my kids and other kids out there...without love and all alone - some arriving with no names. With only the love and comfort of the shelter mom and dad who hold them during their final minutes on this earth. Leaving us only with our tears and broken hearts ... all over again.....it never ever seems to end. Respectfully submitted with a broken heart once again, Maren Dosher Founder/President Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary Hernando, MS [Posted in FML 6432]