Hello BIG and fellow ferret lovers.  My name is Veronica Rayner and I'm the
President of the Thunder Bay Ferret Club, located on the Northern shores of
Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada.  We are a new club/shelter/rescue and
would appreciate any group helping us by sending us copies of their
club/shelter policies, adoption and surrender forms and possible research
formats that we can study or be a part of.  We have what seems to be a
unique situation her in Thunder Bay as the average age of the club's ferrets
is three years old.  We have adopted the "forget-me-not" as our club flower
to represent our committment to act as the ears, eyes and voices of these
silent creatures.  We would like to invite any other group to also adopt
this flower as their committment also and please contact us if you do.  Can
this be a National, International movement?
 
At this time, we are battling an ear-mite epidemic with 90% of ferrets
testing positive, including all the ferrets in one pet store.  Input on this
is welcome and as well, urgently needed is information on "fear biters".  We
have two, one year old ferrets that are, if I may put it in plain
english..."dangerous little beggars".  They have recently come into our care
from different sources.  Both were kept caged with little human contact, and
the one was shipped without food or water (a four day trip) from the breeder
to a local pet store.  His three cage mates where dead but he survived but
showed aggression, (no kidding) and now at a year old he needs help to live
a full life.  He tested positive to ear-mites and has likely had them since
birth.
 
The FML is like food for the soul, I only wish city locations of senders
could be included more.  The need to travel and meet others like ourselves
is strong (someday the mothership will come back and take us all home).  We
would like to hear about any ferret shows taking place that we could attend,
and also would love to have someone send us information on how to put one
on, the health and safety precautions to follow and events to hold.  On a
personal note, I would give anything to hold kits or ferrets that were for
sale at a ferret show that have been bred with love and care by their
breeders.  Please do not shut out this activity, keep it accessible to
those of us who care.
 
We will appreciate all contacts and information sent to us and will put it
all to the benefit of the biggest heart thieves in the world, our cuddly,
loving ferrets.
 
V. Rayner,  Thunder Bay Ferret Club
over 30 members, over 50 ferrets, over 20 rescues... since July 1st, 1997!
[Posted in FML issue 2234]