Many have reminisced on the Ferret Mailing List this last week
regarding the five-year anniversary of the large coordinated Ohio DMK
rescue. We wish there was one website set up with the statistics of
the massive rescue activity and links to the related YouTube videos.
Ferrets at Heart was not in existence in 2007, when the exhaustive
effort was put forth by many shelters and individuals to place an
extraordinary number of physically and psychologically damaged ferrets,
but we have provided a home for a former DMK breeder jill since the
fall of 2009. Holly is only one of many, but we think she is very
special.
Holly was one of the few DMK ferrets for which some sort of birth
record was available. Her birth litter fell in September of 2004. That
puts Holly at 7.5-years-old today. She was one of the breeding jills
kept in the outdoor cages, which we all agree were too small and too
ill maintained.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eADmummyIkY
After being over-bred and kept in wire mesh cages in all weather --
with the benefit of the piles of excrement growing under the cages
drawing all sorts of flying insects -- Holly was then part of the
rescue round-up in 2007 at the DMK breeding facility. Because she was
ill and had a particular taste for human flesh, Holly was one of the
last to leave, and then, handed over hesitantly.
For some time Holly's new situation was an absolute improvement over
her previous outdoor cage in southern Ohio. Her new owner helped work
on her fixation on human blood, and this skittish and unsociable ferret
took on the responsibility for a blind ferret named Charlie. But, along
came a new relationship in the owner's life. The ferrets began to be
harmed frequently by this new individual. Finally, Ferrets at Heart
gained Holly and Charlie in the fall of 2009.
This DMK gal was a learning curve for us. Though Holly had been
altered, she retained her scent glands -- our first ferret with the
ability to stink up a room similar to that of a skunk. Weighing in at
nine ounces, this lightweight spitfire took off the end of my toe the
first day we met -- nearly a quarter-sized section of skin. Life only
got more interesting from there. And you probably guessed she'd be an
escape artist.
Holly is an old lady now. Truly, 7.5 years is a credible age for a
ferret, and Holly has adrenal and insulinoma. She looks and acts nearly
half her age. Holly is still choosey about ferrets she lets into her
life, but she is managing with Templeton, and he helped her make it
through the loss of old blind Charlie back in January. Her weight is
now at one pound, mainly due to the prednisolone she takes for the
insulinoma. She has a deslorelin implant combating the adrenal tumor.
Between naps in her Marshall Hide-N-Sleep Alligator, Holly can be found
stashing crocheted eggs, murdering the little motorized Zhu Zhu pet
hamster-shaped toy, or lounging on my shoulders and head. She might
even play chase or tug-of-war, if she's in a good mood.
Does she still take a chunk out of her humans after so many years? Oh,
well there was that one time... And, I remember when... Can we just
agree that Holly is never-ever to get out at the same time as Rhys, ok?
He thinks her scent glands produce the best perfume on the planet, and
she is absolutely terrified of such a huge alpha male. Don't try to
take a squeaky toy away from her either; this includes those tiny
chirping mice made to entertain cats. Other than that, she's perfectly
safe.
You can help support Holly by purchasing tickets for our raffle or an
item from our store. Just visit http://ferretsatheart.com/
Holly still hears from the woman who adopted her from the DMK rescue
effort. She keeps in touch long-distance and is a charished friend.
Though her current beau is into cats and is absolutely not a ferret
person, he's a great guy, and we'll keep him.
With respect,
Lori of Ferrets at Heart
http://ferretsatheart.com/
[Posted in FML 7392]
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