This is long and for that I apologize. I want to get you thinking about
your individual situation rather than telling anyone what to do. For
me, I don't answer the phone if I am busy driving and I try to remove
as many distractions as possible. I also stop at a lot of rest areas!
I have traveled extensively with my ferrets. In 1997, I moved with two
from Louisiana to North Carolina. In 2001, I moved with 10 from North
Carolina to Texas. In 2004, I moved with 7 from Texas to Connecticut.
This year I moved 4 from Connecticut to Louisiana (so far!). Between
moves I have traveled with the from coast to coast and from the
southernmost states to the northernmost (contiguous, not counting
Alaska). So, I feel qualified to shed a little light on traveling with
ferrets. My ferrets have always been up for a road trip and it is not
uncommon to find up to 10 ferrets piled in a hammock in a small pet
carrier!
The only vehicles I have owned since owning ferrets are Ford Explorers.
I like to lower the back seat when I travel and they fold flat so that
I can put the cages anywhere in the back and not have them on a slope.
The first cage I ever had came with Sammy in 1993. It is large enough
that many ferrets can travel in it comfortably, although they wouldn't
want to live there. I usually use that for traveling, even15 years
later!
Sammy, my first, was allowed to free roam in the car. He would climb
into my lap for a nap or curl up on the floor in the back seat. He
liked to put his paws on the steering wheel and also look out the
window, too. And, like I said, he survived by the grace of God! He
could have fallen out a window or been stepped on -- lots of things
that didn't happen. I was better with the next two, who usually
traveled in a pet carrier strapped in by a seat belt. But, on long
trips they often were allowed out of the travel cage. And, they liked
to sleep on the floor of the back seat, too. With the pop-out windows
in the back, they could easily have escaped onto the highway.
While in North Carolina I became involved in ferret rescue and added a
4-pack just before leaving the state. I ended up with 5 pet carriers
carrying 2 ferrets each stacked in the front of the moving van with me.
I made plenty of stops and spent two nights on the road, but felt more
secure that way since I was driving a moving van and towing my vehicle.
I always used the travel cage until recently. I would put it near the
back so that I could open the tailgate if necessary and remove the
ferrets quickly. One night, while returning home, the car's a/c unit
caught fire! I stopped, opened the back and got the animals out. That
is all that mattered. The car survived and so did all the occupants.
But, a person traveling with me had insisted on her pet carrier being
in a position farther from the door to be closer to her. She had
trouble getting the carrier out. Had the car caught fire completely,
the dogs could have died.
I was prepared for everything, I thought. Even on the fateful trip from
MA to FL, I was prepared for an accident. I had the carriers to put
ferrets in and I had the front packs with the zippers. I was ready
for everything except a roll-over and the destruction of the cages
and carriers!
The trip from Massachusetts to Florida I had two cages as the 5 ferrets
did not get along. And, since this was to be an extended trip, with
the ferrets having to live in the cages for several weeks, I took a
different setup. One of the cages was a SuperPet and the cage has
clips to hold it together. There were also the floor levels that
helped strengthen the cage. Had I had a head-on collision or been hit
somewhere else, the cage would have been fine. But, because it was
hit so many times, it popped open. If I could go back, I would use
wire ties and secure the cage sides to each other. Would it make a
difference? I don't know. I really wish I had used my travel cage,
which was all one piece. The other cage, which was attached to the
wagon, was one piece. It was bent, but it did hold together. In order
to get the ferrets out, I had to pull apart the sides. I did have them
reinforced with bungee cords, though. Isadora somehow escaped the cage,
but she is a tiny little thing. I pulled Duncan out through the hole I
made. You can see pics of it at
http://ferretlover97.terrabox.com/renee/renee-accident-pics.html.
Like I said, I was prepared. But, when I got hit on the head and saw
that my carriers were demolished, Gandalf is thrown from the car and
dead and I am sitting on the ground with two ferrets in each arm (in
deep sleepsacks), it is hard for me to focus. The suggestions by the
people were good, but they would not work. And, I wonder what would
have happened to the ferrets had I been unconscious or killed. Would
anyone have known the beautiful white ferret lying on the side of the
road was a victim of the accident? Would anyone have known there were
ferrets buried in the rubble? Would anyone have looked to get them out?
Or, would they have died, trapped in the wreckage? Or, escaped and been
injured on the highway and died a slow death, scared and alone? I don't
know.
So, here are my suggestions:
1. Get the big picture. Look at the long haul, not the minor
inconveniences. What is the best way for you to safely arrive at your
destination?
2. Put your ferrets in a carrier that is safe for them and that you can
secure with a restraint of some type -- seatbelt or reinforced carrier.
3. Do not allow them to run free in the car. To exercise them, stop and
do so in a safe area. Remember, it may be uncomfortable or inconvenient
for the ferrets for a short time, but they will be able to get out in
the evening or even in a day. They will not die from a lack of exercise
for a day or two.
4. Make a list of the pets and the number that you have in the car with
you. Also, their personalities and bite warnings, if needed. And, vax
info. I think I would put this in a wrist band on my arm, along with
an emergency contact number so people would know immediately what to
look for.
5. Let the emergency contact know your route and check in with them on
a regular basis. Tell them what you have in the car and where a rescuer
can find the info about your pets and the collapsible carriers, if
needed.
6. Take collapsible carriers and put them in a location where they are
easily accessible. If you have to remove your ferrets from the travel
carriers, you will have a secure place to put them. Write the location
on the emergency info sheet.
7. Make a list of all of your pets' medications and any special needs
they may have. On the wristband, tell where to find it.
8. If you stop at a restaurant to eat, leave the windows down so the
ferrets can enjoy the breeze. Park them in the shade and sit where
you can watch them.
9. Take adequate breaks and stop when you are tired.
Remember, if your ferrets are safely tucked away, you don't have to
worry about being distracted by them when you need to pay attention
to driving. I hope something in here has been helpful to you. Have a
safe and happy trip!
Renee & the Topsy-Turvy Ferrets: Odie, Skitch, Duncan and Miss Isadora
In memory of Gandalf
--
Renee Downs
"Eventually we will realize that if we destroy the ecosystem we
destroy ourselves." Jonas Salk
"The most effective way to do it, is to do it." Amelia Earhart
It's amazing how much can be accomplished if nobody cares who gets
the credit!
Ferret Emergency Response, Rescue & Evacuation Team (F.E.R.R.E.T.)
http://www.ferretemergency.org
[log in to unmask]
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
[Posted in FML 6067]
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