In Memoriam
Stamperje was a bunny with attitude. What she missed in size she made up in attitude. She was a strong willed little lady who thought that the universe revolved around her. When Jared arrived as an little puppy she helped raise him and he worshipped her as the Goddess she knew she was.
She stayed in my life for almost nine and a half years. Glorious years in which she showed that bunnies are not just great pets but also great Dobermann-mommies.
After Stampertje died Jared missed her so much, he could not stop looking for her. I wanted to find a new friend but I was not sure another bunny would be such a good idea. I always thought that ferrets were cute so I investigated the internet and books to find out more about them.
I decided that for Jared and me a ferret would be a great choice. So I got into contact with Carmen from Ferret's Friend Forever and decided to rescue an adult ferret.
When I visited she showed me several ferrets that would go with a dog and that is when I saw Peter for the first time. He came from a broken home. After his owners divorced the brought seven ferrets and two dogs to the pound.
Peter was a great little guy, he had to learn a few things when he got home, for example not to play with me like I was a ferret. I can tell you that that can be pretty painful. But once he got all settled in he loved his new huge friend and he discovered pretty quickly the joys of napping in my lap.
He and Jared got along like an house on fire, Peter loved to go with us when I went cycling, he would sit in his little basket hanging of the handlebars and play with Jared on his little lead.
He only got to spend two years with us. He went of his food on Saturday, I rushed him to the vet on Sunday and he passed away on Monday. Cardiomyopathy... even if the vet I consulted on Sunday had figured out what was wrong she would not have been able to save him.
Remus I found, together with Sirius he was in a little carrier, left in the communal part of the basement in my apartment building. I could not believe someone would just leave them there so at first I left a little note on the carrier that I would find them a new home if they were still there the next day. They were still there. I took them in and left another note, this time it stated that if they wanted them back I would keep them a week and after that I would find them a new home. Guess what home I found them? Right... my own.
Jared again loved these furries. He adopted them as his own and cleaned them every chance he could. Sadly Remus didn't grow well and passed away after six months. He passed away while I petted him. I noticed that he was not feeling well and I took him and held him. He was shivering from the cold and died right after curling up in my hand.
Sirius was stronger then Remus, much stronger. He didn't just survive the hard start he had in life he lived two more years after Remus died.
He was a little character. He had me trained really well. When he wanted out of his cage to play and be petted he would just sit on any thing in his cage he could sit to have a better view of me and stare. He would stare in a way that I could feel his eyes poking me. And then I would of course take him out. Spoiled? Just a little... ;) I did tell you he trained me well... didn't I?
He passed away on New Years Eve. He was old and when I heard him cough I picked him up. I noticed he was not doing well and like Remus he died while I petted him.
I could not believe that just a few months after Sirius died my heart would be broken again. This time Jared died. He was an old man, almost 11 years of age and with me from 7 weeks old. He was my Gentle Giant, my cuddly guy. He was a great dog. True, he might not have been perfect by breed standards but he was perfect for me. He was kind hearted and loyal. It broke my heart to let him go but I could not let him suffer.
As a pup he was raised by a bunny. He was owned much of his life by ferrets and he adopted two unwanted mice as if they were his own flesh and blood. And most of all he adopted me, took care of me the way only a dog can. And like the song in the video below, he was a Beautiful Dreamer.
Ares came into my life with his sister Xena when Peter passed away. They were puppies, just 8 weeks old and adorable. When they came they told Jared who was boss and of course the Gentle Giant agreed and let them boss him around.
After Jared passed away Ares grieved. He kept looking for his big black toy, calling out for him with those cute little mokmok-sounds ferrets make. But when Evgeni came it seemed to go better with him.
Evgeni was that awfully annoying baby brother who always want to hang out with his big cool brother. Ares was the cool brother and got annoyed with him often. For a few months I saw the old Ares again, but then the one thing ferret owners dread happened, his tail went bold, a sign of Adrenal Disease.
The odd thing was though that not just that happened, more things changed. Odd spots and fur loss. I took him to several vets until I went to the one professor who is an authority on ferrets in the Netherlands. And that I found out that it wasn't just Adrenal Disease but also Lymphoma, it is a very common cancer in Ferrets.
For more pictures of my babies at the Rainbow Bridge click here.