[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE Pansy's story

[Penny Charlesworth]

I was looking forward to announcing SCAMP Pansy's sixth birthday at the end of this month. I never knew her exact age but when she and her friend Pearl came to live here, I guesstimated their ages at around 6 months. They had been dumped in a cardboard box on the grass verge outside my local shelter one cold March night in 2003 and were lucky to be be found by the first person to arrive for work the next morning unmolested by passing foxes or cats.

Pearl was a white Sheltie and Pansy a tricoloured Abby. Her little face looked so much like a pansy flower that she picked her own name.

When they came home, I put them with my elderly Poppy, who had recently lost both her sister, Rosemary and her friend, Monty, so was very lonely. Poppy was the last survivor of Miss Piggy's family, who were such ambassadors for Piggykind at the RSPCA Pet Days so with the loss of Pansy, I have also lost my last link to Miss Piggy.

Poppy was delighted with her new little friends and fussed around them as if they were her own. They gave her a new lease of life and she went on to enjoy a good old age. They became known collectively as Poppy-Pansy-Pearl as though they were a single entity as they were always together, Poppy sleeping in the middle of the group.

Eventually Pansy became the last one of this group, just as a pair of baby rexes needed a home and they, Toffee and Crystal, moved in with her to ease the sorrow of Pearl's passing. She loved and mothered them and they always slept in a row with Pansy in the middle, all cuddled up together in the same way as Poppy-Pansy-Pearl.

She has been slowing down somewhat these last few weeks but was still eager to eat her veggies and, with her, by now, fat little friends, would line up at the front of the pen. They all stood up on their little back legs to beg for veggies.

A couple of weeks ago, her breathing seemed a bit "squeaky" so I took her for a check up but her heart sounded fine and her lungs were clear.

On Monday morning, she was not interested in her breakfast so I rushed her over to our rodentologists. Her breathing was laboured and became steadily worse during the journey. She received the very best of attention at Cavies' Castle, as always, but she could not be saved. Her heartbeat was irregular and she must have suffered a heart attack. She died on my lap on the Cavies' Castle sofa.

She had never been ill in all of her long and happy life. I brought her home for Toffee and Crystal to say their goodbyes but I don't think that they understand that she is gone as they are still searching for her, looking in the pipes and round the back of their sleeping box. At least they still have each other.

Pansy was a sweet, kind little piggy, who loved a cuddle and will be as sadly missed as are all the Piggyfriends past.

I have filled up the herb garden with little graves so Pansy is under a shady tree by one of the ponds and I will plant pansies there to honour her memory.

Rest in peace, dear little friend, gone to find Pearl and Poppy. Poppy-Pansy-Pearl reunited once more at the Rainbow Bridge.

Penny and the sad Piggyfriends.