Dear Rachel,
I just wanted to let you know that I think you're being very responsible.
Your persistence in locating acceptable homes for your gerbils is the right
thing to do, because you've realized that your original motivation in
getting gerbils to begin with was the wrong one. Having recently lost a dog
who we all considered a member of our family (we had him for 16 years!), I
know how easy it is to want to substitute another pet for the one you've
lost, and try and fill the void in your life that losing a well loved pet
makes, and it sounds like that's what you did with your gerbils. But as
your desire was not to have or raise gerbils specifically, but rather to
replace the friendship and companionship and love you received from your
dog, you obviously made aan innacurate decision in your choice of pet,
that's all. We all make mistakes! You've realized yours, and are now doing
all that you can to take full responsibility for your previous actions and
the results of them (like 13 gerbils!) and get yourself on the right path.
I think that's great!
Well done to you!
Ronni
>From: Rachel Wall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Rachel Wall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: My story...dogs to gerbils to where?
>Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 01:10:56 GMT
>
>Hey,
>
>Hi guys, this is to all of you. :)If this sounds corny, go ahead and delete
>it. Anyhoo, I hope this isn't too "off-subject" to you guys. :)
>
>Okay ,everybody joins this list for some reason or another. I'm going to
>tell you mine. Just last year my dog, who I was very very close to died
>when
>he was hit by a car. It was really hard dealing with that...I guess it's
>always hard to deal with the loss of something you love. WEll, I missed him
>alot. To make matters worse, my other dog, who I've had since I was...8, I
>think, died of cancer shortly after. Might I add that my cat had been put
>down because of feline lukeamia a little bit before this all? :(
>
>My cousin had a gerbil, a golden agouti, who I thought was very cute. I
>looked up gerbils on the internet and found the Dani Clan. From there I got
>interested in breeding gerbils and taking care of gerbils and everything. I
>got two golden agoutis from the pet store thinking they were both boys
>because that's what the petstore employie had told me. Well, one of them
>was
>a girl and I soon had a litter of pups. Lucky for me I practicly had the
>breeding pages from the dani Clan memorized and took much joy in raising
>the
>pups. Though too soon afterward I had another litter(of seven!. Okay, now
>I'm overloaded with gerbils, four girls in a cage and six boys in a huge
>cage. Anyway, I don't know if you've figured it out but, all in all, I was
>trying to replace the hurt from losing my dogs with the love of gerbils.
>But
>I've figured another thing out; No matter how much love you give a gerbil,
>they can't love you back. sure many gerbils appreciate their owner's care
>for them....but they just can't love you like a dog. They don't sleep next
>to your bed, or wait for you to come home from school at the fence.
>Actually, gerbils don't care, or mine anyways, who you are at all. As long
>as they have food, water, and a toilet paper roll to chew, they're
>satisfied.
>
>Please don't yell at me, I'm not saying gerbils are horrible. I had a whole
>lot of fun with them and the list. yet, now they're more of a problem than
>fun. Sure I like them because they're cute and all, but I don't love them.
>Now I'm SEARCHING for homes for the little guys. They're free and need good
>homes. Maybe I need a good shake and a "Get over it!", maybe not. I'm just
>saying that's why I'm on the list and have gerbils: because I thought I
>needed to, or wanted to more likely.
>
>Thank-you for reading this if you have gotten this far. Again, I'm not
>trying to offend anyone, this is just me. If you want a gerbil, by all
>means
>try to get one. I live in Renton, Washington and if you know anyone who
>wants one in this area please tell me! :)Seriously, I've tryed pet-stores
>too. Perhaps this is irresponsible, hey, I'm just 13. In closing, I'm
>trying
>to say, I got into this the wrong way and want out. I know I haven't sent
>much to the list, and I'd like to thank all of those who did. Thanks for
>all
>the advice and I appreciate it. If it weren't for you I wouldn't know a boy
>from a girl and have pups sitting in pine bedding and be stumped over why
>my
>two females hate eachother. :)
>
>I'm signing off the list, bye bye guys! Hey, it was fun. But now, I'm
>getting a dog. :) Something that can love me back, something that I needed
>in the first place. bye!
>
>PS. Perhaps there's a LML? Labrador Mailing List? hee hee :)
>
>PPS. thanks again.
>
>-Rachel and the rest of the Puji Puji gang,
>
><"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~
> Leo Bradine Iris Skip Chip Lukers Prince
><"(_)~~ <"(_)~~ <"(_)~~
> Dip Tritan Chubbs
>
>Yep, there's a lot of them! Want one? I have many many many gerbils
>available! Golden Agouti, Black, DE white..and more!
>
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