Today I did visit Marlene at the Richmond Ferret Rescue league and saw
botht he fert in a ball and the ball.  But lets start at the beginning and
end any further bickering and bad words to or from anyone on this matter.
 
First, Marlene picked up the fert who was brought to her by the owner who
had it in a plastic ball about the size of a basket ball.  THe fert lived
in that ball 24 hours a day.  There was no food dish nor was there water.
He was swinging that ball like it was a toy with the fert inside.
Marlene's husband had to leave to keep from reacting.  Marlene took the
fert out of that ball never to return to it or the owner right then.
 
He had fed the animal smoked turkey and ham pieces.  The animal was starved
and in horrid shape.  It had virtually no interaction with people and of
course like Squiggles no out side exercise never mind even a meagerly
adequate cage.  This was animal cruelty at it's peak!  BUt the animal is
now safe.
 
This is a perfectly normal but totally afraid little sable.  I held her,
and she shook like a leaf but was glad for my attention, she laid her head
on my arm and welcomed my touch.  She never ever offered to bite or be bad.
She is just so tiny from horrid diet and no exercise but as I saw her she
was in good health and will be a normal fert in time.  A most lovely pet
for sure.
 
Now, to Marlene's comments, none were directed at anyone but this really
does raise a question of who gets ferts.  This one was taken at the state
fair here in Richmond, I do remember seeing that animal there.  In view of
this horrid circumstance of animal abuse in the most pure form, her love
for animals precipitated a normal response as to how this happened.  I
agree.  Again, we cannot fully screen all pet adopters and this will happen
again as much as we try to not let it happen.  But this 23 some odd year
old kid did not show any signs of animal knowledge even after he had the
animal for four months.  How do we weed those kind of people out?  I
don't have an answer.
 
I also believe Sue did not let the animal out with knowledge this would
happen or she would not let him have the animal in the first place!  So,
lets all learn from this horrid story, let this little fert tell us we
make mistakes most unintentionally and to help us get better at what we do
well and that is take care of ferts.  Lets just learn from this, no finger
pointing, no blame, just a lesson learned like a hand on a hot burner.  It
happens.  Lets all work together and most of all be friends to each other
as well as ferts.
 
Gordon, Byte-me, Nibble-ed, Kodo and Bud
[Posted in FML issue 3311]