Being one of the largest and busiest shelters in the world, we have always
taken great pride in the "ferretproofing" and safety precautions in place
here at the shelter to protect our fuzzies.  I only have one ferret at a
time that I call my own, even though there may be 150 plus kids here at
any given time.
 
When my 1st ferret, Hilarious Harvey died of cancer on April 26, 2000, It
was quite awhile before another fuzzy passed before my eyes that i iknew
would be mine.  Oct. 2000, Niko, a 9 month old canadian marked black eyed
white, with a most beautiful coat and huge muscular body came into my life
and relit thefire that burned out when Harvey left me.  Niko was the most
kissiest ferret I had ever seen and quite playful.  He slept with me at
nite eiter on my piloow or on the floor in my pile of clothes I was wearing
before going to bed.  He traveled with me and we went everywhere together.
 
One morning, I noticed Niko wasn't playing around my feet and following me
through the shelter.  The next two hours were spent looking for my friend.
When Gloria called out she had found him, I went to the sound of her voice
and knew something was wrong.  Terribly wrong.  Some one had rolled up a
piece of carpet and Niko had climbed up the carpet and crawled down the
hole.  He was too big to turn around and had suffocated at the bottom of
the carpet tube.  When Gloria handed me his still warm body, I just broke
down.  He was only 11 months old when I failed in my promise to give him
the most wonderful life you could imagine.  I felt like a traitor.  I am
still not over his death.  I have not yet chosen another to take his place.
I constantly look for hazards for ferrets around the shelter.  "IT" can
happen to anyone I'm told.  Even if you are prepared for it.
 
I pray it won't happen again.
Ferretguy
[Posted in FML issue 3483]