Some days I love reading the FML and other days I end up starting the day with a broken heart because of the sadness that I read here. Life I suppose. The last few days have been those kind of days. Kevin Farlee, the volunteers and vets work so hard for their ferrets at the Washington Shelter when all is running normally. I send love and light to the humans as well as the ferrets to help you push through this unbelievable challenge. My statement may be premature, but the loss here is so great and touches so many so deeply that I hope as things settle in Washington, the shelter considers some serious counseling for those involved. This tragic event reminds me of the the loss Father Nature's suffered a few springs ago when fire took the lives of all but three ferrets in their shelter in NJ. I have talked with Keith since that time and he continues his shelter work in a new location, but he and Evelyn have been forever changed by such a difficult challenge in their lives. Kevin told me of the counseling they sought. So many of us love our fur babies so deeply that I cannot imagine folks experiencing this burden, would not benefit from professional help. One of the offerings our local Humane Society at Lollypop Farm offers for folks who have suffered the loss of their pets is the Pet Loss Support Group. They run a free three-week support group which helps guide participants through the stages of loss and coping strategies. Through sharing memories and creating tributes to their loved family members, so they might begin the process of healing. For those of us who go beyond simply having animals for pets - who reach out to help at animals shelters, humane societies, rescue groups or run shelters does not make us tougher or untouched by tragedy because we choose to take on the responsibilities of more lives. Maybe more than ever we are the folks who need these kind of courses so we can continue on our path and best serve those animals in need who come to our doors after such a tragedy. If you have not donated to help this shelter, please do. Consider not only helping the ferrets, but perhaps donations will provide enough funds that professional counseling can be offered to shelter members/volunteers to help them cope with this crisis. They will grieve first. But the healing may require some help. In Emergency Services, fire fighters, EMT's, police, medical and military train for critical incidents. Maybe in shelter work we should train for this as well. Little did I know that two of my life critical incidents would occur in my day to day life, not on the ambulance or during my husband's 34 years in law enforcement. Little did I know that it would later come back to haunt me when taking in a single ferret who had symptoms and conditions that would take me back to the day my brother nearly died. It dropped me like rock. Sobbing uncontrollably in the ferret room. Intellectually, I recognized it for what it was because of my training, but it did not stop the sobbing until it was out of my system. I did realize through the tears and emotion, however that I was not crazy, my body and mind were simply reponding to the trigger that brought it all back to me. This can be a smell, color, phrase, a particular instance that happened during your initial critical incident. It can be so small, but so damaging for those not aware. I hope that this post will help make folks aware of critical incidents and the damage they might create and how helpful some kind of itnervention can be. I also hope more folks will open their hearts and wallets to help Kevin, his crew and their babies. Blessing to all; here on Earth and as Stars in the Sky, Cathy Feed rescued animals in two clicks http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 [Posted in FML 7051]