The following was printed in a ferret club news letter concerning Molly, a
ferret that was euthanized because she was blind.
 
Molly's Story
A story about a little homeless ferret by **************
 
Molly came to me from a family who found her in their backyard.  She was
biting everyone in the family so they decided to give her up to my care
home.
 
Molly bit me several times every day for a week until she got to know me.
She stopped biting and her bald spots started growing hair after being on
a good diet.
 
After a few days I realized something was very wrong with Molly.  It took
me a few more days to figure it out.  Molly was blind!!  She could get
aroung quite well outside of the cage.  She moved very cautiously using
her wiskers, nose, and sense of smell.  She bumped into things often and
I could move my finger two inches in front of her face and she would not
know that I was there until I made a noise.  Molly was very active but
never played as a normal ferret.  I do not know if you have ever seen it
before, but it is a very sad thing to see a ferret who does not play.
 
I thought for two weeks about having her put to sleep.  The thought was
with me day and night because it was the first of my care home's that I
considered having put to sleep.
 
I brought Molly to my vet one rainy Monday evening.  He did several tests
of sight and also found no reaction in her pupil to light.  He agreed with
my suspicions, Molly was blind.  He said he would put her to sleep and
would agree with my decision I made.  I thank my vet for his understanding
and reassurance.
 
Molly was put to sleep that same evening for her sake and the good of the
care home.
 
If you think what I did for Molly was wrong.  Then try running a care home
and try making the decision that I had to make.  No one wants to adoopt a
sick, old or disabled ferret.  Believe me I've tryed!  Molly is no longer
trying to cope in a "seeing world" and I know I will see Molly again
waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for me with perfect vision.
 
If you feel sorry about Molly's shortened life, then members of the ****
get up off your butts.  Find an extra cage and adopt on old, sick or
disabled ferret.  Find it in your hearts and wallets to call a shelter
today and dedicate some of your time to improve the life of an unwanted
ferret.
 
The following editoral comment was printed right behind Molly's story from
the editor of that ferret club's news letter.
 
Editoral Comment
 
My heart goes out to ***** and Molly.  Most ferret parents don't know what
it's like for the care homes and what those who have them go through.
Many people think the care homes are dumping grounds for unwanted ferrets.
The result is a care home full of ferrets that remain there until they
die because nobody else wants that ferret either.  The older care homes
are full of ferrets that not only are ill, old or disabled but many just
aren't adopted because there're over 3 yrs old.  Yes, over 3.  As with
all people looking for a pet, potential ferret parents want the youngest,
healthiest and best looking ferret they can find and won't even consider
the older ferret, let alone one with an illness or disability.
 
**************** have both been around for several years and are now so
full of "unadoptable" ferrets they are not able to take in the young,
healthy, "adoptable"ferrets.  ******-******-******, through a new care
home, is now running into this experience as well.
 
So when you decide to expand your ferret family think about one of these
older, Ill or disabled ferrets.  They may look a little different but
they're just as fun and sweet as any other ferret and just as deserving of
a loving home, it not moreso.  The next time you think about getting rid
of a ferret, for one reason or another, think first, chances are he/she
may end up remaining in a shelter for the resst of his/her life and don't
they deserve better than that after the love hey have given you?
 
As for ***** and Molly.  Molly no longer had quality of life.  Being blind
is hard enough but to go through being lost, taken into a new home, then
sent to a care home wass more than sightless Molly could take and is quite
often more than a sighted ferret can take.  *****did the only thing he
could do to keep Molly from suffering for the rest of her life.
 
Sincerely, **************
[LE]
[Posted in FML issue 3565]