Pim came to me in an unexpected way. I had just moved across the state for a new job, and my previous hedgehog Blake had just lost his battle with cancer a few weeks before. I was not ready for a new pet, but Pim’s information was shared with me from the rescue she was at. They didn’t know how old she was, or much of her history, just that she had been found in a box in a dumpster. Luckily it was summer when she was left outside, so she wasn’t facing hibernation like a hedgehog would in the colder months.I was afraid to meet Pim, because my heart was still broken from losing Blake. But then I held her for the first time, and her curious nose sniffed my hand and shirt, and she uncurled to lay in my arms, and I knew I had to take her in. It was slow-going at first: she didn’t seem sure of what to do with the toys I got her, and all she really wanted to do was hide. So I got her blankets and tunnels to make her feel more comfortable, and she slowly began to relax around me. She loved running on her wheel, and she would spend hours every night digging in her cage.Pim was only with me for six months, and I sincerely hope she knew at the end that she was safe, and loved, and respected. I am so grateful to Pet Passages for giving her the dignity in death that she didn’t have for most of her life. I can’t imagine why someone would want to throw away such a sweet, curious, and sensitive girl, but Pim at least was able to end her life in a home where she was deeply wanted. I’m always going to miss you, my silly-girl.