The loss of a pet and a dear sweet soul... This is Joel What a way to bring in the new year....David and I were on our way back home from our Christmas Holidays and we got a call from Jennifer (the young lady that is taking care of the animals when we were away).She was sobbing, and I knew right away what had happened....my little Joel was dead....He was in her arms and taking his last breathes of air......(Crying now myself) Jennifer was in shock because the day before she was feeding him and he was running around as if there was nothing wrong with him...see he was sick for a very long time- we had him to the vets and he had surgery on his teeth...they were growing out towards the sides of his cheeks and he had a bad infection there as well.But with treatment and medication he came around and started gaining weight again...then just as fast as that, he couldn't eat again.....so we started feeding him by shringe once more- and hoping that he would be strong enough till we got back home again, then we eould get him to the vets again.. Jennifer just held him and asked me to say goodbye to him - she would put the phone to his ear..I said " Goodbye my little buddy Joel....I will always love you my friend" Through sobs of course- and she told me he moved his head as if he knew my voice.... Jen also did me a favor and took Joel with her....she knew that I couldn't face it when I got home..... Jennifer I want to thank you so much for being there...and not letting him die alone..it eases the pain just a little knowing you were holding him when I wasn't able.. To those of you who ever had a pet- be it a dog, cat, mouse, fish or like Joel- a Peruvian Guinea Pig- the pain of losing your pet no matter what it is...is something that hurts so bad and I have had one heck of a day.. We have stopped in a Motel for the night because there is a winter storm heading this way and we didn't want to take any chances-