Few people know that all these ferret shelters even exist never mind
how much even the State animal control depends on them as well as the
public at large.
Far too often a person will learn of a ferret, decide they are cute
and "I want one!!!" so goes out to a store, pays the $$ and takes a
beautiful little kit home. Yet they have no idea what the animal needs
for food, or a cage or 'out time' as well as so many other things
needed to keep the animal healthy. After a week or two the newness
wears off. The animal being fed dog food or worse becomes emaciated
with hunger and poor diet. If this makes the animal inactive then the
animal becomes a fur lump in that cage it seldom if ever got out of.
Others are active doing what a ferret does which is more than the new
owner can tolerate so the animal again is shoved into the cage and
ignored. Ignored is beyond definition where the animal sometimes dies
for lack of adequate care. The lucky ones end up in a shelter.
I was one of those people but I care for animals. After buying Byte-me
I got her home and then (here we go) went out to get a cage! Kind of
backwards but over time this was built on over and over till it is now
a palace fit for a half dozen ferts, or more. I had the wrong food but
got advice and then the correct food. There was no lack of attention
for months. Fresh water, food and bedding. Most old timers on the FML
know all about Byte-me.
Over the past decade I have taken in a dozen shelter kids. Animals that
were old and too old for a shelter to sell or find homes for. I was
happy to have them. They lived out their days here with lots of 'out
time', good food, nice clean cage with plenty of hammys, litter box and
plenty of kind friendly handling. Most lasted a short time where they
were old in the first place but they lived out their final days in a
good environment. In return I got lots of kisses and they in turn paid
lots of attention to me where a ferret actually does like people!
Far too little credit goes to the shelters for all they do. Money is
tight but kind and good care is not. Medical care is also dispensed as
needed regardless of the animals past. Many need to be rehabilitated.
One that comes to mind is Squiggils in North Carolina. Is amazing that
animal survived and if not for a shelter it would not have survived
another day from the conditions it was kept in. But there are many
like that, it tears my heart out to hear those horrid stories. But it
goes on.
Yet one more unsung hero in all this matter is the FML. On here I see
many shelters get help, money, advice, ferrets that need a shelter and
those that find a home. We have owners that get advice, equipment,
help, or what ever where this FML is a club of sorts where everyone
pulls for the other sight unseen all for the common interest to benefit
an animal.
I can only bow to the many that worked with me when I needed advice. I
can only bow to those that contacted me when I lost my most precious
Byte-me and offered such kind words. I can only bow to those who knew
I lost RePete and Pete, the last of a long line of shelter kids I took
in. But then I can only bow to those who contacted me about the two
ferrets in West Virginia that were going to be put down for lack of
room and a very long term of 24x7 living in a small cage at a SPCA and
those who retrieved them, transported them and gave Peekaboo and Pester
to me. They are here now in fine form with lots of body tone and energy
in great health in a save warm loving environment.
My many thanks to the FML, the people of the FML, Robin of the
Annandale Shelter, and but of course Bill Gruber who works with no pay,
no reward, no pat on the back for running this FML so many of us depend
on. Thank you Bill. Thank you Robin. Thank you members of the FML. All
of you are most gracious but more so a much needed productive part of
our society taking in the slack of those who act irresponsibly at the
expense of an animal, the ferret.
Just my humble opinion.
J Gordon Bengtson, Peekaboo and Pester-doodle
Aarrow-Ranch Aviation
Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111
[Posted in FML 6403]
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