It seems only my co-workers and the Longley's saw the tv clip and newspaper
articles on the "stolen and tortured ferret(s)" in last week's media
coverage...
 
Robin Longley and I have followed up with the owners/pet store and have the
following to post to ferret lovers.
 
Shari Gunter
Club Contact
Triangle Ferret Lovers club, NC
www.trifl.org
 
**************
 
Foward from Robin & John Longley of NC:  [with permission]
 
Just to inform you about an animal abuse case that was reported on the news
this past Thursday.  [On the local TV news 9/21/00.]
 
The information was obtained by us through the pet shop owners of Amimal
House Pets in Clayton, NC.  Two weeks ago, a twenty year old named Donald
Lee Scholar and two sixteen year olds, names unknown--broke into the Animal
House Pet Shop and stole four ferrets, a bearded dragon and some small
lizard.
 
The lizards were put into pasteboard boxes and put into the trash because
thiefs didn't want to be found with them.  I don't need to say anymore on
what happened to them and their demise.
 
Of the four ferrets: one was taken to a house of one of the sixteen year
olds.  When the Sheriffs Dept. found the ferret when doing an evidence
search - they thought it was out of place in this particular home and went
to do a background check to see if any ferrets were stolen.  When they
returned to take the ferret, the young man's grandmother said that it was
let out of the back door because she didn't know where it came from or
what it was.
 
Two of the ferrets were recovered, and appear to be in good health.
 
The fourth ferret was a dark-eyed white and was killed by Donald Lee
Scholar the following morning after the theft.  He told police in
Smithfield, NC (town east of Clayton, NC) that he was "afraid of it."
The ferret was killed by being shot with an arrow and then beaten to death
with a baseball bat.
 
The three young men have been charged with a felony and the D.A. wants to
*REDUCE* the charge down to a misdemeanor.  If convicted on a felony charge
they will serve a five year term verses a light probation if it is a
misdemeanor charge.  [Only money will be owed - no jail time.]
 
Please contact the District Attorney in Smithfield and plead that these
three people get charged for the full charge of breaking and entering and
for the animal abuse of all the animals that were wantonly killed.  The
telephone number is (919) 989-5000.
 
Docks and Blessings, Robin and John and all the ferrets
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3187]