(oooohhhhh, I just *love* this FML.  I'm always laughing)
With all the bad publicity ferrets have been receiving (ie, the CBS News
Show) I thought I'd contribute a positive article that was printed a few
months ago in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper, written by *me* that generated an
amazing amount of feedback from the public.  If ya'll don't mind, I'd like
to share it with you :) It was entitled "FERRETING OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT A
POPULAR PET" (and my thanks again to the journalist who printed it in
response to a rather *nasty* ferret article that inspired me to write this one)
        It was nearly five years ago that I fell in love.  He was a very
handsome gentleman, wearing a silver mask and a beautiful fur coat.  So
mysterious, I had to know him.  I held out my hand to him - and he climbed
right in, curled up in my palm and went to sleep.
        I am speaking, of course, about my very first ferret, BooBoo.  At
only six weeks old, he looked remarkably like a baby seal and was so small
he would sleep in the pocket of my shorts while I went about my business.
He grew up quickly and finally he got his own harness and had to walk if he
wanted to go somewhere with me.  If you've ever seen a little grey ferret
scurrying down Denman Street on a sunny day, it was probably BooBoo.
        Then again, it may have been someone else and their ferret.  With
ever increasing speed, ferrets have become the third most popular
interactive pet in North America.  There is good reason for this.  Ferrets
are intelligent, playful, cuddly companion animals wjo have been
domesticated since about 3000 BC, longer than the household cat.
        Nobody really knows exactly how the domestic ferret came to be, for
there is no such thing as a "naturally" occurring population of ferrets.
(Domestic ferrets should not be confused with the endangered American Black
Footed ferret.) Although there have been reports of "wild" ferrets, these
are usually lost or abandoned pets who do not survive long without human
intervention.
        Take BooBoo for instance.  I am often intervening between him and
lots of things, such as peanuts (which can kill him) or my socks (which he
thinks are chew toys) and sometimes the cat, who thinks - just like lots of
people do - that BooBoo is a giant wild rodent that has no place in the
house.  Although I have explained to my kitty lots of times that ferrets are
nice, friendly animals if properly treated, he stibbornly insists that
BooBoo (and my other ferrets) need to go.
        This, of course, doesn't bother BooBoo too much.  He knows that if
he runs up Mom's pant leg she will protect him from the nasty kitty.  He
also knows where the ferret treats are kept, that if he stares at Mom long
enough she will give him some of whatever she is eating, and where Dad keeps
the forbidden glass of Coca Cola.  He knows how to use a litter box.  Most
important, he knows that he has been treated very well by his people and he
treats us the same way.
        Unfortunately, lots of ferrets I meet don't know what it's like to
be treated nicely by people.  As a member of the Ferrets and Friends Club
and Rescue, I see lots of ferrets dropped off labelled as "biters" by their
former owners.  Usually, after only a couple of weeks with us the ferrets
are noticeably happier, calmer and have never bitten us.  Which only goes to
prove the adage: there are no bad pets, just bad owners.
        All of my ferrets are wonderful, gentle friends.  But I worry about
the fate of all ferrets sold in pet stores by people who know very little,
to people who know even less.  It's so important to do your research before
you buy a ferret - they can live as long as 10 years and require a lot of
affection and patience.  Pets really are for life.
 
 
        YAY!!!! they printed it!!!  Tracey (founder of FFCR) and I also had
two interviews run in two other Vancouver newspapers that were also very
positive.  Here in Canada, we're doing pretty good in the ole ferret
acceptance department. My sympathies to all the ferrets and folks in
California who live in constant fear of a ridiculous law.
        If anybody would like more information about the FFCR (and our
*amazing* newsletter) or just wants to chat ferrets, please feel free to
e-mail me at :
[log in to unmask]
              BooBoo (gimme that toy mouse or I'll chew yer toes off)
   Joop (*I* won the relay swim competition at last year's Ferret Frolic Picnic)
                  Ashley (go away, I'm sleeping on my bald tail)
    the Ancient Fang (go away, I'm chewing on Ashley with my one remaining fang)
        and two ferrets in the halfway house (Chloe and Shadow) offer you
raisins, as long as it's not one of theirs :)
[Posted in FML issue 1261]