I have gotten permission to cross-post this story from Julie, the
author, and fellow ferret parent. We have been in touch for a few
weeks and hoped that her ferret baby would have been okay with vet
and supportive care, but that didn't happen. The vet she went to has
also seen similar cases recently. I just got off the phone with her
and couldn't help but cry along with her.

This ferret was purchased from a Petco in Richfield, MN. When she
called the store, all they said was, "Bring in the receipt of a
refund". She didn't want a refund! She wanted answers and was concerned
about future babies handled at that store. If anyone reading this has
had this happen with a Marshall Ferret, please let us know. We are
trying to get to the bottom of how this could happen and hope that
other babies won't suffer the same horrible death.

Thanks,
Liz
 ...in the Company of Ferrets, Inc.

 Reply to: [log in to unmask]
 Date: 2008-03-13, 8:35PM CDT

Tonight I put my little Ben to sleep. He is 11 weeks old at most. I
have had him for a month. For half of that month he was full of beans
and dooks, just like a baby ferret should be, for the other half I have
watched him become sickly, and now die. I bought Ben from a PetCo -- a
move I knew better than to make, but did anyway. Somewhere between the
God awful ferret factory called Marshall Farms (where whether you know
it or not, if you own a ferret and are reading this, at least 85% of
your fuzzies came from.) and the dirty smelly cage of PetCo, Benny
caught Distemper, a virus that is almost 100% fatal to ferrets. If that
isn't bad enough, he was nowhere near the age they told me he was,
nowhere near old enough to be shipped across the country in a truck
with more ferrets than room move. He now lays across my lap, not strong
enough to move, face twisting and neck contorting as the virus attacks
his brain. (did I mention I've spent the last three days feeding him
every 4 hours day and night,giving him antibiotics, hoping it was just
a bad cold?..If I couldn't have saved him nothing could.)

Before I leave for the vet to leave my little guy behind, just remind
yourself how awful these pet stores are. I knew before Ben, and I have
just received a horrible reminder. I am mad at myself. I am a joke -- I
won't eat meat but I will support these animal abusers? I know PetCos
and PetSmarts are convenient, but please, the next time you go in one,
realize how horribly they treat these animals. Realize that if an
animal is too sickly looking to go out on display, they quietly kill
them in back. Realize that when I called to tell them they might have a
distemper outbreak in their store, that they should sanitize and make
sure the animals there were safe, the manager simply told me to find
my receipt and bring it in, as if I wanted to make a return. I long
for a day where animals are not treated as a product, where they are
not traded, sold or bartered. Where they are not disposed of when they
become an inconvenience or neglected when they are too much work, too
much money, or not the right fit. WE have domesticated them and made
them dependent on US and WE are the ones responsible for the thousands
upon thousands of animals abused, killed and forgotten each year.

Love you Benny. 

[Posted in FML 5912]