Kew Gardens Hills has a vast, vibrant Jewish community with many shuls. There is one situation in which its expansiveness and its options can be a detriment. There are at least eight possible reasons why, all of a sudden, you stop seeing somebody:
They are on vacation; they switched shuls; they moved either to the other side of the neighborhood or to another community in the United States; they made Aliyah; they are incarcerated; they are sick; or, in the worst-case scenario, they have passed away. I can give three examples in which I had no idea as to the person’s status. One person who had been in the community for many years made Aliyah. If I had not overheard him telling someone else that he was leaving to make Aliyah, I never would have known. I am sure that many people would have liked to have given him well wishes. Another person whom I thought was on vacation, I found out, had been in the hospital. The person was annoyed that I had not reached out to him when he was hospitalized. There is another person whom I thought was an important person in the community who seems to have vanished without a trace. It is not in my nature to start asking about people. My suggestion is that shuls list significant changes involving their members on a weekly basis, subject to the members’ or families’ consent, or that the QJL serve that function for the community.
Before I mention my main topic, I want to warn those who are not interested in pets to stop reading. On July 21, one of my two guinea pigs, Squeak, a.k.a. Squeaky, passed away. He is the fourth guinea pig I have had die. The first three were Macaroon, Chestnut, and Oreo. All four were male. All four were particularly good at hiding their illnesses. By the time I realized that there was a problem, such as when they stopped eating, it was too late. Despite what some women think about men, as it relates to guinea pigs, it is not a male issue but a guinea pig issue. Their nature is not to show weakness, since it would leave them more subject to attack by other animals. The fact that these guinea pigs are pets has no impact on their inherent nature.
All four were between five and six years old when they died. Guinea pigs supposedly live from five to eight years. That number may be somewhat inflated. I am not going to get into the halachic issue of “putting a pet to sleep.” It never became an issue because I had no desire to do so. It was important to me that all four die in their cages while with the other guinea pig rather than be killed someplace else. Some of the deaths were more painful to watch and more painful for the guinea pig than others. Nevertheless, it was better than the alternative.
I had taken Squeaky in the middle of the night to a 24-hour animal hospital. It is not easy to find a place that treats guinea pigs. He was given pain medication when he was sent home, and he was content during the last few hours of his life. The hospital did give me the option of trying aggressive treatment, which included hospitalization. In addition to the cost, which would have been prohibitive, the chances of success were not so high. Also, Squeak’s age—five years old—and my desire that, if he died, it should be where he lived with his buddy were the reasons why I rejected that option. Although I am talking about dealing with a sick guinea pig, the issues may sound familiar to those who faced the same question when dealing with a sick family member, especially when they were the ones who had the power pursuant to a healthcare proxy. Individuals have been consumed with guilt, and families have been torn apart, when the choice that was made appeared not to have worked out.
One would have expected that with each dying guinea pig, my reaction to its death would lessen as the number of times increased. Maybe it is because of my age, but the opposite is true. When you are younger, it is easier to deal with. However, when you are older and your pet dies, it is an uncomfortable reminder of our mortality.
My remaining guinea pig, Squirrel, who is a few months younger than Squeak, seems to be taking Squeak’s death better than he did a few years ago when Oreo died. That being said, it is not always easy to get into the mind of a guinea pig. Thus, I have started the process of finding a new friend for Squirrel. This new guy will be much younger because adult male guinea pigs are generally territorial and want to dominate. Since NYC has banned pet shops from selling guinea pigs, there are fewer available for adoption at animal shelters than in the past, so it may take longer to find a suitable companion for Squirrel.
Like many pet owners, I plan to continue having a guinea pig as a pet as long as I am physically able to take care of it or until I am put in a situation in which I am not allowed to own a pet.
Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.