Dave,
At the risk of becoming (more??) repititious, every time I revisit this thread it's even better. You are producing truly masterful results here, very inspiring. And, as a fellow keeper and lover of animals, my sincere sympathy for the loss of your pet. As a good friend once said to me, "they don't live long enough..."
Suggestion: have you considered sending a photo or two to Ray Rimmel at Windsock Worldwide? This one should be, at a minimum, in his Readers Gallery Section. Your work is top notch and deserves recognition.
Cheers,
Lance