Salvador the Chinchilla (April 2004-March 30, 2024)
Salvador was the most magical creature I could have had the honour of caring for. He was gentle, sweet and trusting. He was healthy for 18 years, then fragile for 18 months. He was a patient at The Links his whole life, examined or treated a total of 55 times, mostly in those final 18 months. That time was a whirlwind of dental spurs, weight loss, infections, syringe-feeding and digestive trouble. Through it all, he remained resilient and playful, letting me know that he wasn’t done yet. The Links was his extended family and his mom will be forever grateful. I was looking forward to marking his 20th birthday until he suffered a stroke and passed away just a few days short of the milestone. If love could have saved him, he would have lived forever.