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Guinea Pigs Gone to the Rainbow Bridge |
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It is said that when we lose a friend, there is a new star in the sky at night. On these cold, bleak Winter nights I look up, and through my tears I see the stars of a constellation twinkling in the sky. I hope your spirits run free, dashing and playing in meadows of sweet timothy grass, with cool waters to sip and sweet fruits to nibble and play with. May you have places to explore, treats beyond measure, and cardboard to nibble. To all our gentle beloved piggies, we will always love you.
- T. Green, 1996
I had never had a piggie before Elvis, but in no time he stole my heart. He was so intelligent! He could shake hands, had different "wheeks" for wanting lettuce versus attention, gave whisker-kisses, and when he passed away, he seemed to draw comfort from me being there. When his "niece" Quark passed over the bridge yesterday, I found out about this wonderful page, and I found out one other thing, that I love all the piggies we've had just as much. Goodbye Elvis & Quark; I know you are both scampering through fields of grass, visiting Anjela & me in our dreams, healthy & happy. Your family, piggies & people, miss you and will always remember you.
She was a very active, rambunctious g-pig...right up until the end. She loved watermelon. Hopefully she's in the watermelon patch up there...
Her sister Goldie sends her best wishes and remembrances.
Anjela
Iepie (pronounced as Eepee) was born in November 1993 in a litter of two. My good friend Morra had bought his mother in a pet shop, knowing that she was pregnant. My other friend Jacqueline adopted Iepie when he was old enough to leave his mom, as a friend for her piggie Onkie. Onkie was used to roaming freely through the house, but Iepie never really got the hang of it. After about 2 years, Onkie died and Jacqueline decided she did not want to have another piggie. It so happened that my piggie Guusje had died about the same time, leaving behind her mate Pepijn. So Iepie came to live with Pepijn. He had a couple of other room mates he survived (Joepie, Bilbo) but the last months of his life he lived in the new caviary with his girls Wietske and Roosje. He was often behaving like a grumpy old man when the girls (both very young) were running about. But he was boss till the end (though they often didn't take him too seriously). Even when he was but a shadow of his former self, Roosje backed away when Iepie wanted to pass. He will be missed.
Hershey had a love of life and a love for everyone and everything around her. During her lifetime, Hershey brought up four beautiful baby piggies, Peanut, Buckwheat, Pebbles and Oreo. She eagerly made friends with new additions to the family from Pepper the GP, to Daisy the 150 pound Rottweiler/Collie cross. Thankful to myself and my husband, her love and affection for us was unlimited. Hershey loved to be petted and held and faithfully said good morning to the first risers in the house every morning. Of course she had a love affair with fresh veggies, especially lettuce and LOTS of it. Hershey was (unknowingly to us) pregnant when we bought her. She had her babies two months after we got her on July 31, 1994. It was a wonderful surprise to us and we cherished her babies as much as she did. Unfortunately, Peanut passed away March, 1995; Bucky, December, 1997; Pebbles, January, 1998; and Oreo, July, 1998. Today, our beloved Hershey left us to be with her babies after passing away from cancer. No other animal has touched our hearts and brought us so much joy. We will always love you Hersh, and never forget you.
Lots of love,
Shannon, Rob, Pepper, Rosie, Pumpkin, Daisy and Lily
I will never forget the first time I brought you home. You acted afraid of everything. I will never forget all of the purrs, whistles and sherps that you gave me in the morning to wake me up or the various tricks you used to get more food and treats. I hope that now you are out of pain and that you feel better than you have this week. Your death was not expected last night and I will miss you. I will always hold a special place in my heart for you. You were the first and only guniea pig that I have ever had and you were the best pet I think that I have ever had. You will be greatly missed and I will always love you and will never forget you.
Love Shauna
xxx
Today my heart is broken, my darling little piggy princess. The pampered darling of the Mad Scramblers passed away in my arms after her fourth bout of bladder problems. Her sludge had turned to stones, and apparently the treatment and the pain finally took it's toll. She refused to eat anymore, wouldn't drink, never purred or wheeked. I guess the pain finally got to be too much and she simply gave up. I will miss my little mischief maker. In my sig file she was referred to as: "(Especially Penny the picky, petulant, perky, petite, pretty, photogenic, provocative, precious, perplexing, precocious, "productive," prodigious, prestigious prestidigitator, pulchritudinous, provocateur, passionate, peripatetic perambulating, perfect, pampered piggy princess!)." She was all that and more.
Penny was the daughter of Honeybear. They were inseperable (mostly because Penny could jump from one lap to another, often a distance of over six inches!). As in the picture, the two girls were always side by side, with Mom being the chicken and Penny being the explorer - that's why she looks so big, she's coming to see what this box is that her loving slave was holding.
She loved her treats, she was the wheeker of the clan, hanging off her cage to make sure that I hurried in the morning with the goodies. And, until very recently, was the most enthusiastic eater of everything placed before her. Romaine and Hay disappeared quickly, cucumbers were devoured in a frenzy of enjoyment!
She had the loudest purrer in the smallest package. While clearly the smallest pig in the herd, she took no nonsense from anyone. Manda would chase her all over the family room, and she would lead her a merry chase! Everything was an adventure, all new things were to be inspected - and tasted.
I will miss my little darling.
Dale
Squeaker heard my dearly departed
Joey and Owl on the other side and decided to join them. After continual
struggling of abcesses and weight loss since December, she left us on
Saturday, August 8 at 7am PST just 12 hours later.
Before she left, she told me that Owl had managed to get her an agent too. She will be quite a popular model. She will be missed beyond belief.
Tabatha
Fellow piggies and slaves near and far will want to know that Owl,(a.k.a.)
Owlvis has left the building on Friday, August 7th, 7pm P.S.T.
Owl will now be performing at the Rainbow Bridge.
Although he was barely 1 year old, he had a stroke or seizure. He will be dearly missed.
Tabatha
Vincent was a school pig for the first four years of his life until he came to live with us. He was an art teacher's pig and named after Vincent Van Gogh. Vincent was a silver agouti teddy and was described by his art teacher owner as a very laid back pig. Good thing, too, when you spend you days in a class with eighth graders!
While the art teacher purchased Vincent from a local pet store, we strongly believe that Vincent was a Laura Lauderdale raised pig directly related to our departed Smokey Bear and Lacy. He had that sweet temperament and the love of human contact.
We persuaded the art teacher to permit Vincent to come visit with us last August. The idea was to put Vincent in with our other silver agouti teddy, Rachel, so they could have silver agouti teddy babies. They never did, but it was clear that Vincent clearly adored Rachel. He would spend his days sitting an inch or two away from her just admiring her. We tried to delay the date for returning Vincent to school but that day came too soon,anyway. We pleaded with the art teacher to let Vincent live out his senior years with Rachel and we even made an offer of a generous contribution to the art teacher's class if we could keep Vincent. The art teacher told us no. Two days later, however, the art teacher called and said that Vincent was sulking and would not eat. She said for us to come and get him. He was so happy to be back with Rachel!
Vincent died on Monday of a massive tumor. Rachel was with him until the end. Vincent is the third piggie we have lost this year: Pumpkin (January), Lacy (April), and Vincent (August).
Paul
Oreo was brought into our world on July 31, 1994 to our mama piggy, Hershey. Oreo was a beautiful black and white abby who had a sweet dispostion and loving nature. Oreo and his brothers kept us amused by their piggy antics, taking over whatever space they occupied like a little piggy gang.
Unfortunately, Oreo lost his brothers last winter, Buckwheat, to kidney failure and Pebbles to dental problems that could not be corrected. Two months ago, Oreo was also diagnosed with overgrown front teeth, but it was corrected immediately. This past Monday, July 27, only 4 days before his fourth birthday, it was discovered by the vet that his back teeth were also causing him problems. They performed surgery, but discovered that he had arthritis in his jaw and would never be able to eat on his own again. We decided to let him cross over the Rainbow Bridge to be with his brothers and little sister, Peanut.
We love you little piggies, and hope that you are all happy in your new home. Your mama Hershey and adopted sister, Pepper miss you very much! You will never be replaced and will always hold a very dear and special place in our hearts. Thank you for all of your unconditional love and extra special pigginess.
Lots of Love and Lettuce,
Rob, Shannon, Hershey, Pepper, Rosie, Pumpkin, Daisy and Lily
I miss your little face and funny wheek more than you can imagine. I don't know why you felt that you couldn't fight, I guess that it must have been your time but that doesn't make it any easier. I hope that the Rainbow Bridge is warm and beautiful and that you can look down on us and know that you are still in our hearts. Goodbye Ariel shmariel I know that I'll miss my warm, cheeky, friendly girl always.
Love,
Karen.
xxx
Lacy was my first guinea pig, and she will always hold my heart. She was a winter-white teddy with black stripes. She may have only weighed two pounds, but she overflowed with intelligence, sensitivity, affection and spunk. While she often free-ranged during the day, she spent each night by my bedside. She loved to be held and always enjoyed a nap with me on the couch or bed. She would whimper when I left to go out of town, and she would lick me when I came home. No matter what the world threw at me, Lacy was there to be my comfort.
Lacy loved to explore, and she especially enjoyed slipping into those rooms (with oriental rugs) where she was not to go. She would push the doors open to these forbidden rooms while I was not watching, and I would find her pulling the threads off the rugs, one by one, or playing with a new box or bag that she had found on the floor. She even knew the alternate ways to sneak into these rooms if her direct path was barred by a latched door.
Lacy loved a fresh paper bag more than any piggie that I have ever known. She would climb in the bag, pausing only to stretch her back legs as she climbed in. She would then stay in her bag for hours, facing out and feeling oh so comfy. She could make a bag last for a week.
Lacy died in my arms on April 22, 1998, after a long illness. She fought hard ever step of the way, and was such a trusting patient. I miss her so much.
I had Lacy cremated and buried her where my other two darling piggies, Smokey and Pumpkin, are buried at the corner of the front yard. I planted flowers around the graves in their memory.
For me, stripes will always be in style. I miss you, Lacy.
Love,
Paul
Peanuts, Arctic adventurer...passed over the bridge...June 1, 1998
Age, undetermined, Peanuts was a true adventurer of the Far North. Early history unknown, Peanuts was found running wild with Truffles amidst the heavy traffic of Arctic Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska last August. Captured and taken to Animal Control, Peanuts escaped euthanasia but was denied an opportunity for adoption because he and Truffles were "male and female" and could not go out as a mated pair by city ordinance. Instead, the pair was released to a local pet store which specialized in very large reptiles. Following much ballyhoo on their behalf, Peanuts and Truffles were reclaimed by Animal Control to become the beloved piggies of the Gorham family.
Peanuts' health began to fail about a month ago, but he maintained a very positive outlook. He died peacefully, Truffles snuggled beside him to the last breath. Only after his death did Peanuts and Truffles reveal their well-kept secret...they were both boys, beloved brothers, Jonathan and David to the very end.
Rest in peace, little Arctic Peanut. Thanks for including us in your adventure.
Julie
We adopted a funny looking creature from a pet store almost 6 years ago I had never seen an animal like this, but I fell in love with him INSTANTLY! Some woman dropped him off and I couldn't figure it out. His name was Albert. He was the first "furkid" my husband (then boyfriend) and I got. He was so smart and I remember that I gave him a bath and I thought that he had an infection in his private parts. I was so upset, I thought maybe I wasn't keeping him clean enough, but a vet said he was a vital and healthy guinee pig but "could" mate at that time if we chose to find a female. Did I feel silly, oh ya. My husband taught him to "talk" whenever the fridge was opened or the tap was on. He thought he would get lettuce or some treat. We had Albert for four wonderful years. Not enough time for me. He helped raise all of our kittens and shared his pen with a homeless rabbit, and a buddy named Roddy.
Roddy came to us just before Christmas about 5 years ago from a breeder. Roddy was a sweetheart but was constantly in pain. We didn't know it at the time, but I watch my animals very closely and he wasn't eating a whole lot. I took Albert to the vet quite regularily and had his teeth checked and claws cut. Roddy went to the vet and it was found out that his teeth were growing up into his head and that is why he wasn't eating. Well the choice was made with little thought but lots of love. I swear Albert knew and missed him lots. Three years ago Albert wasn't acting right, so I took him to the vet and the vet said he would be fine and did the check up thing. That night Albert died and that made me so sad. I still think about things I could have done for him, but he totally knew we loved him. Now he can run and play with Roddy, Zak and recently his cat buddy Harley.
I miss all of you and hope you are playing together at the Rainbow bridge. I hope you will remember me when it is my time.....
Love mom
Dreamsicle was a piggy rescue late last year, a 4 year old wonder boy who gave lots of kisses, licks, and purrs purrs purrs. He was so sociable, it was hard to believe anyone would dump a piggy like this at the tender age of 4. He was so easy to please and would eat anything and everything with GUSTO! He had the cutest little tuft of fluffy hair on the top of his head that was so much fun to rub.
After a short period of time at the guinea pig rescue facility, he moved in with Pearl (aka Pearly Girly) at Kate McGinley's house. He received lots of attention and love there until he died on April 24, 1998 of complications due to bladder stones.
We will always love and miss our Dreamsicle. He was a very special boy.
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If you would like to post a memorial to a special guinea pig companion, please e-mail it and a picture (if you wish) to Memorial -at- GuineapigsRainbow.org
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