Today I am very sad. Skippy and Spooky have joined the rat choirs in Heaven (Skippy might not have - she bit me!). Spooky sat solemnly in the corner of the cage, as if she realized that her life was nearing the end. I could not comfort her - how can you comfort that which you have set out to destroy? Skippy ran in her wheel, just as she always did when she became stressed about something. I went to Animal Control, dropped off the rats, then walked out of the shelter - empty cage in hand. No more pets for a while.