Cage Four
I don't have a name, or I would tell it to you. You can call me "cage four," if you would like, it's what they all call me around here. I don't have a photo to show you of me either, as no one cared to take it. I have family, but they have... all been removed from me, all but the eleven babies I have here at my side, but I don't know when they will be taken. I just know they will be, despite how much I would like to keep them here, because I love them so. I am a breeder rat, given a number, just like my sister over there, across the room, a shelf up from mine. She has babies too, the same age as mine, and they will be taken from her too. I remember the day we were born, close at our moms side. We thought the world was a wonderful place, so much to see, so much to do. So many smells around us, so much to investigate. We spend our days playing, tackling each other as we got to know our bodies, how to move our legs so we could go where we wanted. We had no worries, just life ahead of us. Little did we know that joy was soon to end and hell waited for us. I would give anything for that time back, not for myself, my body is worn down and my health is fading, but for my children. To never have it end for them, but their innocence will soon be shattered, as was mine.
Five weeks has passed since I gave birth to my last litter. I know it is my last, and my sisters, because I heard them say "retire them". I know what that means. Any day now they will come and take our children and drop us in the snake tank. We will die, unloved, never knowing what that gentle hand feels like or what treats taste like. I will never watch my children grow into adults, or have peace of mind that they will live a life full of love and happiness. I am a rat, and because I am a rat, I am seen as having no feelings, nothing worthy about me. Worse, I am a feeder rat. It is raining today, no sun coming through the windows, just streaks of water running down the pane. I felt it when I woke up today, my children nestled around my body. This was the day of goodbyes and certainty. I looked over my children one by one. My heart sank as I realized some were not as colorfully marked as the rest. My two blue daughters would be sold as pets, most likely. My blue son may find a good home. The rest were common, and I knew what would become of them. It's funny, but until that day I never noticed their markings. I just saw my babies, and how beautiful they all were.
They pulled my children from me one by one, snatching them away by their tails, and although I tried to kiss and nuzzle every last one goodbye, I could not, it all happened too fast. And than they were gone. I ran to the side of my tank, to tell my sister what happened. I wish tears could block sight, because what I saw I wish I had not. They were taking her children, too. She fought, as I had, to wish them well, tell them she loved them, but those humans can be fast when money is to be made, and they were gone from her in seconds.
My sister was not as lucky to have the hope for some of her babies as I. She was black and white, a hoodie, as were all her children. No one would want them. As the humans glanced over her babies, they placed each one in a tank on the last shelf. It was the feeder section. My sister placed her face against her tank and sobbed. For her, death had already come. Three of my babies were lucky, they stood a chance. They were taken in the front area, for customers to pick over. Feeders were kept in the back. The rest of my children were put in with hers. We called to them, but they could not hear us. Then I was picked up and placed in a separate tank, reunited with my sister one last time. We spent a few hours consoling each other, best we could. Than she was taken from me, for the last time. Another goodbye. I had nothing left. For five dollars my sister was sold, and her life ended. Five dollars. And here I sit and wait for that customer who owns a snake to come along.
My dreams never saw reality, and I don't understand why. I had the capacity to love a human. I could have been so good as a pet. My thoughts trail off to my children, scared, alone, and probably by now sold, wondering where mom went, safety, warmth, and where their siblings went, as I am placed in a cardboard box and taken away. My last thought was of a place where my sister, her children, my children, and myself could have lived as beloved pets. We don't live long, I know that. But those few years we could have had would have been the world to us. Now, as sit in a strangers house, farther away from happiness than I could have thought possible, and turn my head from the snake that has been watching me, I know I could have been something more, if only I had been given a chance. I'm a good rat, why did this have to happen? If there is a life after death, I hope it is a place less cold than this world. I don't ever want to feel this lonely and unloved again. I really could have been more than this. I really could have.
- By Ryan Greye
A Rat's Tail Rescue
Five weeks has passed since I gave birth to my last litter. I know it is my last, and my sisters, because I heard them say "retire them". I know what that means. Any day now they will come and take our children and drop us in the snake tank. We will die, unloved, never knowing what that gentle hand feels like or what treats taste like. I will never watch my children grow into adults, or have peace of mind that they will live a life full of love and happiness. I am a rat, and because I am a rat, I am seen as having no feelings, nothing worthy about me. Worse, I am a feeder rat. It is raining today, no sun coming through the windows, just streaks of water running down the pane. I felt it when I woke up today, my children nestled around my body. This was the day of goodbyes and certainty. I looked over my children one by one. My heart sank as I realized some were not as colorfully marked as the rest. My two blue daughters would be sold as pets, most likely. My blue son may find a good home. The rest were common, and I knew what would become of them. It's funny, but until that day I never noticed their markings. I just saw my babies, and how beautiful they all were.
They pulled my children from me one by one, snatching them away by their tails, and although I tried to kiss and nuzzle every last one goodbye, I could not, it all happened too fast. And than they were gone. I ran to the side of my tank, to tell my sister what happened. I wish tears could block sight, because what I saw I wish I had not. They were taking her children, too. She fought, as I had, to wish them well, tell them she loved them, but those humans can be fast when money is to be made, and they were gone from her in seconds.
My sister was not as lucky to have the hope for some of her babies as I. She was black and white, a hoodie, as were all her children. No one would want them. As the humans glanced over her babies, they placed each one in a tank on the last shelf. It was the feeder section. My sister placed her face against her tank and sobbed. For her, death had already come. Three of my babies were lucky, they stood a chance. They were taken in the front area, for customers to pick over. Feeders were kept in the back. The rest of my children were put in with hers. We called to them, but they could not hear us. Then I was picked up and placed in a separate tank, reunited with my sister one last time. We spent a few hours consoling each other, best we could. Than she was taken from me, for the last time. Another goodbye. I had nothing left. For five dollars my sister was sold, and her life ended. Five dollars. And here I sit and wait for that customer who owns a snake to come along.
My dreams never saw reality, and I don't understand why. I had the capacity to love a human. I could have been so good as a pet. My thoughts trail off to my children, scared, alone, and probably by now sold, wondering where mom went, safety, warmth, and where their siblings went, as I am placed in a cardboard box and taken away. My last thought was of a place where my sister, her children, my children, and myself could have lived as beloved pets. We don't live long, I know that. But those few years we could have had would have been the world to us. Now, as sit in a strangers house, farther away from happiness than I could have thought possible, and turn my head from the snake that has been watching me, I know I could have been something more, if only I had been given a chance. I'm a good rat, why did this have to happen? If there is a life after death, I hope it is a place less cold than this world. I don't ever want to feel this lonely and unloved again. I really could have been more than this. I really could have.
- By Ryan Greye
A Rat's Tail Rescue
Winter's Memorial
Snow AngelThis video was constructed on 6/15/14. It's a collection of pictures and videos I took of my heart rat Winter...whom I called my "Snow Angel"...Winter was surrendered to my rescue by a man who didn't want her anymore...she didn't serve her purpose...which was to have litter of babies after litter...to feed to his snake. To Winters credit...she refused to get pregnant. she didn't want her babies harmed...she knew she wasn't loved...and her babies wouldn't be loved either. He named her "Freak" when I met Winter...I quickly realized she was a one of a kind who only wanted to be loved. She would stick her head through the bars of the cage...not to escape...but to grab for my fingers...or my shirt....to pull me in...so she could receive that love and attention she craved. Eventually...Winter stopped living in a cage...and was given free range of my bedroom...she slept in bed with me every night...under the blankets. She never failed to thank me for giving her that love. In return I worshipped the ground her lil rat feet walked upon. On April 26th 2012 Winter became lethargic...so I rushed her to my vet hospital...where she was immediately admitted overnight. I handed her to the vet for him to take her in the back room...I was hysterical. he turned back to me...and walked her back to me..I kissed her lil pink nose and whispered I loved her...and I would see her soon...and to get better...that I would be back for her. Her doc put her in an oxygen tank waterbed and tried to treat her. At 8:22pm the phone rang. she was gone. Doc Jeff was getting ready to give her a bowl of food...he turned to get it...when he looked back..she was just gone. my heart has never healed from her loss. In her memory there is a garden...with memorial stones in her honor...and a man made pond which attracts frogs and toads each spring that have their babies....they sing to her at night...her grave lies next to this pond. a hibiscus grows above her. To honor her memory...enjoy this video of Winter...my heart rat...who now waits for me at the Rainbow Bridge. Never underestimate the power or love of a rescued animal.. Thank you. Ryan Greye 6/15/2014 |
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How I Met My Nancy
This was made for me by Kimberly Daly Hitze ....she took my words...my story of how Nancy came into my life...and painted the story behind my words. I was stunned when she first sent it over... and I have read and studied the paintings everyday since...the detail she gave Winter and Nancy's story... down to the lil purple box Nancy rode the Rainbow Bridge down on (as most of u know... purple is Nancy's favorite color).... I hope this lady continues
to paint... because some gifts... some talents should never be abandoned. Please read this story... and take a good long look at the paintins. See...Nancy was a gift from Winter to me... but these paintings are also a gift... from a great
friend....lady...and talented artist. Kim....this is cherished by me....thank you!
If you would like to commission Kim to do a painting for you, contact her on Facebook at Kim Hitze Art & Design.
to paint... because some gifts... some talents should never be abandoned. Please read this story... and take a good long look at the paintins. See...Nancy was a gift from Winter to me... but these paintings are also a gift... from a great
friend....lady...and talented artist. Kim....this is cherished by me....thank you!
If you would like to commission Kim to do a painting for you, contact her on Facebook at Kim Hitze Art & Design.