Hi All,
 
I thought I would tell you all about a pet store here in Carlsbad NM.  I
needed to get out info about my shelter so off I went.  I found out that
there was two pet shops here, one only has ferrets when someone places an
order.  The other just opened in Dec.96 and this was in Feb.  of 96 I went
by there.
 
Kristi & Allen Sosa are the owners.  I walked in and they didn't know me
from Jane Doe.  I saw two little fuzzie in an aquarium with pine chips.  I
very nicely told them who I was and what I was trying to do here in town
about starting a shelter.  I gave them a copy of the FAQ and the info that
Trish Curtis had given me.  I asked if they would hand out copies of the FAQ
and our shelter info to anyone buying a ferret.  Yes they would be happy to.
 
Two days later I stopped by again and you wouldn't believe what I saw.  NO
aquarium, NO pine chips but a nice big cage with lots of soft rags and toys
and two very happy fuzzies.
 
Kristi said they were told by the suppler that the way they were housing
them was OK but after reading the info I gave them they now Know better.
Well another few weeks went past and I got I frantic call from Kristi.  They
had just gotten a shipment of two new ferrets and one was not right and
would I please come down and take a look at it.  By the time I got down
there their helper had tried to pick-up the little thing and it had bitten
her bad.  I was any smarter than the helper.  It didn't just bite me it was
holding on for dear life and trying to shake me like a mad dog.  We had to
put a pen in its mouth to pry it off my hand.  Needless to say there was
blood everywhere.  Kristi was just about in tears about this and saying she
was calling the suppler to come get this mean nasty thing and she never
wanted to see another one in her shop again.
 
As I said they had only known me for a few weeks, SO I DID SOME FAST
TALKING.  I said "if you send him back they will either put him down or pass
him off to someone else and they will have the same problem.  So would you
be willing to let me take him home with me and see if I can tame him?.  If I
can then you will have a sellable ferret or if not I will buy him and see if
Trish can work with him." Kristi said "Yes just get him out of here."
 
Well off we went to the vets because I wasn't sure this little half pound
thing didn't have a brain tumor or something.  All he did was charge the
cage and hiss and snap when you got to close to the cage.  The vet said he
was OK but severely traumatized and he didn't give the little fellow much
hope.
 
At home nothing changed, I was in tears because he was still drawing blood.
I wrapped him up in a towel and just sat in the floor rocking him and crying
with him still trying to bite me.  He finally wore himself out and went to
sleep.  Even in his sleep, if my hand got to close he would try to bite.  I
guess from the smell.
 
A few days later after more rockings he woke up in a different world.  To
make a long story short 8 months later he is a 5.5 lb silver ball of love
named Be and yes I kept him.  Kristi and Allen made me a deal and now we are
good friends.
 
They have been great supporters of the shelter .  They only order ferrets
two at a time and allways call for me to come see them.  They call me if one
so much as sneezes or is just not acting right.  They have let me take some
home who have came in with colds and when they were going to be closed over
two days.  Boy was it hard to take them back.  They are truely loving caring
people.
 
I wish all pet store owners were more like the Sosas.  They really try to do
the best they can.  Thank you Kristi and Allen Sosa!!!!!!!
 
If any of you would like to say thank you to them please e-mail to me at
[log in to unmask]  I will see that they get it .
 
Thanks
Eydie and the gang of nine.
[Posted in FML issue 1695]