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I'm curious as to how, emotionally, you ever dealt with losing a pet and never finding a trace of it again, and how you eventually gained some peace of mind over it, if at all, or how long it continued to gnaw away at you?
The very worst line of thinking that can drive me crazy is to think it ended up in a home where it was abused the rest of its life. I try hard to swat away at that thought when it arises, or it could drive me berzerk!
My favorite thought: someone took a liking to it, adopted it, and found a very loving home.
Then there's the thought: it was run over.
I just lost my ferret, out walking one night on his leash, who does not respond to its name, and after reading about mircrochips, I guess I was assuming, when I bought him 2 years ago, they automatically did that at the pet store. I was wrong! Not that it would have helped any.
So many times, out walking him on his leash, and I run into children seeing it, they immediate turn to the parents and say: I want one! I want one! And many can't afford them. So there's that possibility, some child or teenager found him and he's now in a good home. I pray so, if I don't find him!
One of my ferrets got away from his leash in Phoenix, one time, at a park, and he showed up at a Ferret Rescue 2 days later. Will I be so lucky this time!
I'm curious as to how, emotionally, you ever dealt with losing a pet and never finding a trace of it again, and how you eventually gained some peace of mind over it, if at all, or how long it continued to gnaw away at you?
The very worst line of thinking that can drive me crazy is to think it ended up in a home where it was abused the rest of its life. I try hard to swat away at that thought when it arises, or it could drive me berzerk!
My favorite thought: someone took a liking to it, adopted it, and found a very loving home.
Then there's the thought: it was run over.
I just lost my ferret, out walking one night on his leash, who does not respond to its name, and after reading about mircrochips, I guess I was assuming, when I bought him 2 years ago, they automatically did that at the pet store. I was wrong! Not that it would have helped any.
So many times, out walking him on his leash, and I run into children seeing it, they immediate turn to the parents and say: I want one! I want one! And many can't afford them. So there's that possibility, some child or teenager found him and he's now in a good home. I pray so, if I don't find him!
One of my ferrets got away from his leash in Phoenix, one time, at a park, and he showed up at a Ferret Rescue 2 days later. Will I be so lucky this time!
Don't really know about ferrets, but I've had this experience with dogs before. When I was a kid, we had a black lab on my grandparents farm. We had him for many many years until one day he vanished. We never really did find out what happened to him. It'spossible someone shot him. He liked to go out at night and court the ladies in the area, and then you do have that brand of idiots who like to shoot things just for the sake of shooting it.
It's also a big possibility that he just wandered off to die. Animals do that, and he was very old.
As far as getting over it? Well, life goes on, we move on emotionaly, and eventualy replace our lost loved companions with new ones.
The only time my dogs got out and didn't come home real soon, one of them was killed by a car about 2 miles away (city) and I was called b/c of his chip. The other one who escaped with him came home some time later. I've had a dog who liked to run away but he never ran far and would come to any neighbor who called him. I have never had one just disappear but I imagine I would be devastated. I suppose it's worse than having one euth'd b/c of the possibilities you mentioned. However, I don't think any well cared for pet would go to someone nasty - they seem to have good instincts.
The only time my dogs got out and didn't come home real soon, one of them was killed by a car about 2 miles away (city) and I was called b/c of his chip. The other one who escaped with him came home some time later. I've had a dog who liked to run away but he never ran far and would come to any neighbor who called him. I have never had one just disappear but I imagine I would be devastated. I suppose it's worse than having one euth'd b/c of the possibilities you mentioned. However, I don't think any well cared for pet would go to someone nasty - they seem to have good instincts.
Right you are on that one. A dog and possiblyother pets just seem to have a sense, they can somehow tell someones personality type and if they should trust that person.
I hope you find your little ferret, I know it must be difficult to have lost him. My chihuahua was the same way, she'd get off her leash and take off like a little bolt of lightning. I hope your ferret is safe tho, and you may never know, he could be somewhere close by and you may find him yet. Or catch someone with him. Praying you'll find your pet.
When I was a child my grandparents had a peke, he wasn't fixed and loved to roam. Well, one day he got out of the fenced yard (again) and did not return. My grandmother was heartbroken...three years went by, and guess who was returned? He had jumped on the back end of a truck and ended up in Canada, he had a collar and name tag on him, seems that it took the truck driver 3 years to come back to the USA and return him! That was 40 some years ago and we did not have the communication methods that we do today. He lived another 8 years, died at the ripe old age of 17!
However, I don't think any well cared for pet would go to someone nasty - they seem to have good instincts.
Thanks so much for that line! It's given me such great comfort to think of that possibility!
I have been leash-walking him on my three nights off, anywhere between 1am and 5am (I work the nighshift, up all night on days off!) and two nites a week we went down to the Las Vegas Strip to walk around when there were very few tourists around. The tourists loved him, would hold him for photo-ops, and he even got to know the hotels valets, security guards, and late nite hookers who looked forward to our visits. I could never, ever get him outside during daylight hours, he'd just panic, race back to the house. He just loved riding the escalators and especially the elevators to the skybridges. And with all the tourists who held him for photo's he never bit anyone.
The times I met up with children, teenagers, at that hour, or anywhere else, it was never surprising that so many would say: I want one! Gotta get one! And given the price of ferrets, it wouldn't surprise me that a younger person found him and, hopefully, treasured him. Not that older people aren't attracted to them as well.
Someone just informed me about Facebook's Lost and Found Pet site, put an ad on there, so I still remain hopeful. He's a mighty spoiled ferret (he would start begging me around midnite on my days off for one of our long walks) and can't live without his mashed cateloupe, banana and honey dew every day! So whoever adopts him, steals him, has no idea what they're getting themselves into! Talk about a master manipulator!
So back to that comforting line, let's hope he's able to discern a good owner from a not-so-good owner!
When I was a child my grandparents had a peke, he wasn't fixed and loved to roam. Well, one day he got out of the fenced yard (again) and did not return. My grandmother was heartbroken...three years went by, and guess who was returned? He had jumped on the back end of a truck and ended up in Canada, he had a collar and name tag on him, seems that it took the truck driver 3 years to come back to the USA and return him! That was 40 some years ago and we did not have the communication methods that we do today. He lived another 8 years, died at the ripe old age of 17!
Ineteresting....
Did the dog come back and fit right in as if a day hadn't even gone by, or had he taken to the truck driver as his new master? Did he know you when he got back?
This story reminds me of that old movie "Homeward bound" where the three pets traveled all that way to get back to their family. You should watch it OP, it might keep your spirits up.
OP, this is why I am paranoid about taking my ferrets out. They are slinky and sneaky little dudes, and way to good at hiding! If you know some of the people in the area you lost him, maybe they will let you know if they spot him. Once in awhile they end up at local animal shelters or rescue groups as well. And it's not unlikely that someone might keep him if they found him.
I've had 2 pets that "disappeared" over the years, both cats. One was 8 yrs. old when she ran away after moving houses and we never could find her...she was not very people friendly and stayed with us more for the food than for affection. I like to think she could have found another family to feed her, or that she survived on her own (she was fierce and could have made it as a feral cat, I think). But there's no telling. Her brother was the opposite. He was a sweety but loved roaming. One day he didn't come back....he was older (13) so it's not impossible that he had some health problem we didn't know about. Otherwise he was likely killed by a coyote or dog. Either way, I know he died because he never would have gotten lost or run away. I just try to think that, worst case scenario, they lived great lives, were loved, and the end was probably quick. Just hope for the best, and hang on to the fond memories.
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