Sara Ferret, Recently, (10-5-09) I had to put down our shelter mascot, and the ferret that meant the world to me. (I have included a copy of the FML post) I did not ask for a greeting, as I know that you are busy, and I just thought that if you saw the posting, you might just watch out for him like you did when we lost Sophie a few months ago. When I first came to the FML years ago, I used to ask Sandee to greet all of my babies, but then it just got too hard to keep up with, and it hurt too much. Nowadays, I just ask for the really special ones. the ones that I still look for in the morning, or when I am doing something that reminds me of them, like Rustle. I miss him greeting me when I put my feet on the floor as I swing out of the bed, I miss his shadow on the shower door, and I miss him meeting me at the door when I get home from work. This past weekend, we did education at the local Petco, and the whole time we were there, I couldn't help thinking that this was the first time in about 4 years, Rustle was not there to help make fall in love with ferrets. :( If you get time, could you make a shelter dad feel a bit better, knowing that his baby made it safely, is feeling better and is waiting for me? Thank you for all you do, you don't know how much a simple letter from the bridge means to grieving ferret parents! [FML 6478 from Tue, 7 Oct 2009] Missing a friend Yesterday morning (Monday), I had to say goodbye to my baby boy Rustle. He had what our vet believed to be Lymphoma in his intestinal tract, and went downhill very quickly. We will know more after the necropsy and test results are in. I wanted to tell his story, because as much as he meant to me, he was also loved by others in the Maine/NH/Mass area, actually most of those that knew him. Some even tried to "convince" him to come and live with them, instead of staying with me. (Kim) Rustle was a ferret that lived with a "family" that thought it would be nice to get a ferret. Once the kids lost interest, they started letting him outside to "play" in the woods. Anyone that knows the woods in Maine, knows that there are any number of creatures that would love a nice plump ferret for a snack. Luckily for him, a neighbor of the family kidnapped him and brought him to us. From the time we first laid eyes on him, a beautiful black Sable boy, shelter mom said that he was going to be "her" ferret. Knowing how many ferrets we had in the shelter, plus our personal ferrets, I just said yea, sure. On the way home from picking him up, we settled on the name of Rustle, like the leaves he was let out to play in. Long story, short, Rustle was not a ferret that was going to be pushed around. Crystal would try to hold Rustle and cuddle him, and he would wiggle until she put him down. I would pick him up, and he would just lay down in my arms and go to sleep. She would take him back, and he would get down. He had made his own mind up and chose me to be his. Rustle would meet me at the gate just inside out front door when I got home, every day, without fail. His would be the first face I saw after a rough day at work. I would come in, and after a quick cuddle and treats, change clothes before heading down to the shelter to clean. When I would get up in the morning, his was usually the first face I saw when I put my feet on the floor. He would follow me into the bathroom, into the shower, and stand under the water at my feet while getting a drink. This ferret meant everything to me. In over twenty couple years of having ferrets in my life, I have been blessed with only two ferrets that chose to love me as much as I loved them. They gave me everything that they could, and I did likewise to them. And both of them were taken from me way too early. My only hope is that both Linus and Rustle knew how much I loved them and how much they meant to my life. Jim Kennedy, Director Ferret Rescue of Maine A State licensed, 501c3 Non-profit shelter. Donate to shelter ferrets by clicking igive.com/from [Posted in FML 6517]