[Gpdd] [RAINBOW BRIDGE] Condolences for Shelley

[DebJonSara at aol.com]

Oh dear, Katy and Becky, you have been having a tough time of it. It is  
heartbreaking to lose one of our furbies. However, 5 years is a very respectable  
age for a piggie, and although we know it comes as a terrible shock to find 
one  has departed for the Bridge unexpectedly, we feel it is the best way to go 
- no  traumatic trips to the vet and treatments, just to drift away peacefully 
in ones  sleep - it's what we would all wish for ourselves.
 
The female Dolly Mixtures (10 of them) live in 3 different cages in the  
winter and share one outdoor run in the summer. In the winter they are free  range 
during the day, so can choose who to be with, and most do choose to share  
with others. There was one, Argentee, who chose to live alone, and she is the  
one that went to live with the two French sisters over a year ago, where she 
has  become fat, content and spoilt. Soulage never seeks out company, and she 
doesn't  like others going into her box, but she tolerates others entering her 
cage or  meeting them out and about we think she would be lonely all alone, 
although she  might like to be in her own cage next to others that she could see, 
hear and  smell. Her favourite amongst the others seems to be Claude, the one 
castrated  male - she likes to flirt with him, does sassy Soulage!
 
We agree with Penny that a good idea would be to introduce a pair of baby  
girls - only DEFINITELY on neutral territory - in fact, if you can afford it, a  
completely new and much bigger cage would be an idea. We always have as many  
little "houses" in our cages as there are pigs - some people disagree with 
this  and think houses encourage piggies to hide and be timid, but we feel 
everyone is  entitled to privacy. Some, like Soulage, claim one house (it's only a 
cardboard  box!) as their own and stick to it, others pop in and out of 
different ones all  the time. They often snuggle together all in the same one, but 
we have a choice  just in case.
 
No one could ever replace your precious Shelley in your hearts. But it  might 
reduce the loneliness for both of you to have a couple of little newbies  to 
distract you, and if Becky really can't accept their presence inside her  
cage, she would probably appreciate being able to watch them play from a cage  
next door.
 
Please do accept our sincere condolences
 
Debbie and the 13 Dolly Mixtures