Her condo sits on the beach -- literally.  The breeze through the windows
is tinged with the smell of salt.  And, if you look closely, you may see
the cocoons begin to open.  Lisa Leidig and her long-suffering (I mean
long time!) significant other, Ernie, have butterfly cocoons scattered
among the ferrets and the plants that line the balcony.  And, with spring
trying to arrive, the butterflies should not be far behind.
 
But, wait!  Isn't this supposed to be about ferrets?  Okay, back up 20
years.  The time is 1985.  *I was given Sable as a gift in 1985 when I
told my then husband how much I wanted one -- she was purchased from a
pet store with virtually no information on her care.  She was not with
me long but because I had her, Wolf came into my life when a coworker
found him on her porch and gave him to me because she knew I had ferrets.
Wolf lived to be almost 11 years old and was an absolute joy.*
 
And that led Lisa to become one of a long line of rescuers in her family.
The fifth of six children, Lisa says the women in her family tend to
be the mothering type.  She admits to one sister in South Carolina
who did wolf rescue and another sister who makes a habit of taking in
hard-to-place cats.  Her immediate family lives in Chesapeake, VA and
* my brothers think I am nuts for doing rescue but still support me.*
 
*Ernie was introduced to ferrets by me - I had them and when he saw what
cool pets they make, he had to have his own.  I've had ferrets for 20
years and recognized that a shelter for ferrets was needed in my
area...they are so interactive with you - more so than a cat but less
work than a dog.  I've owned all types of animals since I was a child
(horses, cows, goats, cats, dogs, small rodents, birds) and ferrets are
just more fun!  Ern has been my biggest supporter!*  When I stopped by,
Lisa was broiling chicken breasts for the ferrets and preparing *hot
dogs for me!* said Ernie.  *Heck, they eat better than we do!* he said.
 
Twenty years of ferrets provides one with numerous memories.  Lisa
recalled that Sasha proved to her that ferret proofing is not a myth, but
a necessity.  *(Sasha) could get anywhere that she wanted - persistence
was her best attribute.  She also rode in my hooded jackets when we went
outside and this tiny little girl protected me from a Great Dane that was
running loose in my neighborhood by standing him down by hissing/barking
at him.*
 
Lisa and Ernie do not confine their fun to the ferrets, though.  Lisa
relaxes in a totally nonferrety way.  She says, *I run, I go to the
range shooting my guns and during the summer, enjoy spending a day at
the beach!  My ferrets also love being at the beach and playing in the
surf/digging in the sand!* Lisa recalls that the most fun she had was
*riding in a fountain boat at 70+ mph at a local event.  It was
completely exhilarating!*
 
Lisa is exhilarating.  She is non-stop, giving and downright fun.  Not to
mention that she literally sparkles!  However, there is more to Lisa than
a layer of glitter.  Lisa has a great deal of admiration for those who
stand up for what they believe.  * I admire anyone that has the courage
to stick to their convictions - no matter how (un)popular.  I would love
to spend time with Carlos Hathcock III (White Feather) who was a sniper
in Viet Nam.  His views on what he did and how he handled himself before
and after are a testament to his strength of character.  As far as women,
I would wish to have met Susan Anthony and her courage getting women the
right to vote.  She was an extremely strong woman and I deeply admire her
and how she overcame so many obstacles.*
 
Come hear Lisa draw from her personal experiences about Disaster
Preparedness for ferrets on April 30 at the 2005 Ferret Symposium in
St. Louis, MO!
 
Please visit Lisas webpage at
http://www.ferrethaven.org.
E-mail her at [log in to unmask]
 
Meet Me in St. Louis!
April 29 - May 1, 2005
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4827]