Anyone who’s ever owned a small pet as a child can probably relate to what one Chilliwack veterinarian saw on Wednesday.
A small grave with a cardboard headstone memorializing a young girl’s hamster named Rosey was spotted by Dr. Leslie Ann Ross while walking on a trail near the Hope River Slough on July 22 .
“RIP Rosey, a butifull hamster,” the sign read. It was written in a black marker and signed with love by Chelsea.
The cardboard sign appeared to be freshly placed above a shallow grave adorned with hand-picked maple tree leaves, Ross said.
“The scene thrust my mind back to a time when I experienced a similar loss as a young child. The sorrow I felt remains as a vivid memory to this day,” she said.
No matter how small or how short their little lives are, pets like hamsters and goldfish which are often a child’s first pet, are significant to that child.
“Even very small pets like these that are well-cared for and loved can make a child’s world complete and fulfilled in a way that sadly, for most of us as adults we put aside for other perceived priorities,” Ross said.
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