[TheForge] Sad time

Wed Feb 6 17:39:48 2002

Debbie wrote this and there's nothing I can add.

Jerry Frost

-----------------------------------

Family and friends,
I have been through rough times in my life. I thought the past two weeks
were bad but THIS day beats them all to hell and back. Since I can't sleep,
I will fill you in briefly.  :(

I can't go into detail tonight. It is late (well past midnight) and we are
emotionally and physically exhausted. We (Jer or I) will write again soon if
you wish details. Let us know. For now I can only manage this:

Spring Promise Glacier Moon ("Jimmy") died of unknown causes two weeks ago.
We had him necropsied. The results came back positive for Johnes (pronounced
"Yo-Nees"). I DID NOT BELIEVE IT. Additional, multiple testing of the entire
herd resulted. It was confirmed Johnes . As of 8:00 PM, Tuesday, February 5,
2002, Spring Promise Pygmies no longer exists. It has been a devastating
blow and we are still reeling with shock and grief. We can only guess as to
how or where this disease entered our carefully tested and protected herd.
Complacency, we have discovered, can indeed kill. We have pretty much
narrowed the time span down to three years ago. ANNUAL testing would have
possibly saved us half the herd at least. Heck, testing ONE dairy goat I
brought in might have saved the entire herd.  I trusted the word of the
owner.

For more information on Johnes, either search the web on your own or go to
these sites (it is the premiere Johnes Research Lab in the country at
University of WI, Madison):
http://www.johnes.org/goats/control.html (Control/eradication)
http://www.johnes.org/goats/truecases.html (Case histories)
By hitting "Home" on either of these pages, you will go to the Home Page for
the Johnes site.
~~~~~~~~
Spring Promise Pygmies lost this day, 2-05-02:

J-Lynn Once In A Blue Moon ("Blue"), age 7

Spring Promise Kayla's Galaxy ("Lexie"), age 3

Spring Promise Lucy In The Sky ("Lucy"), age 3

Spring Promise April Showers ("April"), age 20 months

Spring Promise Jackie Purcell ("Jackie"), age 19 months

Desert Suns Ho'Beau ("Hobo"), age 13 months, deceased

Spring Promise Willow (Lexie's silver doeling), age 9 months

Spring Promise Hope (Alyssa's doeling) and
Homer (Alyssa's wether), age 9 months.
(These were triplets - the owner of Spring Promise Healy hasn't yet been
contacted.
Separation and testing will be advised for Healy since she was a bottle
baby and MAY have avoided exposure.

Spring Promise Cinnabar, (Makayla's red caramel buckling - one of
triplets), age 8 months.
The siblings' owners are being contacted. Euthanasia advised.

The only hope for the Spring Promise name to continue another generation is
through our two older does, Desert Suns Makayla and Desert Suns Alyssa, both
of whom at age 5 tested Negative on both the AGID and ELISA tests. Both are
bred - one to Blue and one to Ho'Beau. They MUST be removed from this
contaminated environment as well as carefully bathed and trimmed before
kidding - the sooner the better. No ruminants can be safely born on this
land for the next two years. My dear does are being given to a knowledgeable
4H family. These two does will be quarantined from other livestock and will
kid in April and May on clean, uncontaminated land. We have our fingers
crossed for their future even though it will not include us. Further testing
will be required but there is room for optimism. They would have been 2 when
the farm was infected - old enough to fight off the bacteria, hopefully.

The current owners of ALL the kids we have sold in the past three years must
be contacted and advised to test and to cull any who test positive
immediately. Those who have siblings or offspring of does who have already
tested Positive are being advised to have the kids put down or quarantined
until they are old enough to accurately test (age two+). This is possibly
going to bring grief to many families which multiplies our own grief
tenfold. We can only hope they WILL follow through with the testing and do
what is needed, no matter how heartbreaking.

The loss of all these animals and a dream of so many years - all at once -
is beyond pain. We are numb. The only consolation we have at this point is
each other - and this poem, which so many of you already know so well . . .

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.  When an
animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet
goes to Rainbow Bridge.  There are meadows and hills for all of our
special friends so they can run and play together.  There is plenty of
food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and
vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.  The
animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each
miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly
stops and looks into the distance.  His bright eyes are intent; His
eager body begins quivers.  Suddenly he begins to run from the group,
flying over the green grass, his legs carry him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally
meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the
beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your
pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown

Heartbroken,
Deb & Jerry Frost
--
Deb Frost / snowgoose
Meadow Lakes, Alaska
[email protected]
http://www.customcpu.com/personal/dfrost/mypage.htm

------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks