Hi Everyone:
 
I just wanted to write something inspirational here, we can always use that!
I want to tell you about an adoption that went through this past weekend at
my shelter.  If only more people were like this.
 
A woman, Jenni (I won't say last name w/o permission, but she's on the FML),
contacted my Chester County branch of my shelter a few weeks back.  She was
interested in adopting a ferret to be a companion for her single ferret.
She drove a very long distance just to meet with Chris and Tara to get the
adoption process underway.  After they met with her, they called me and said
that she was great, a definite approval for adoption, and that she wanted to
come all the way down the following weekend to see what we had available
here at the Montgomery County branch.
 
I called her to let her know what we had available, and to see what kind of
ferret she was looking for.  She was preferable to a calmer ferret, because
she was concerned that the ferret that she adopt get along well with her
ferret.  I told her on the phone that I didn't know if the ferrets that I
had available were what she was looking for, that most here are quite
"spitfires." I didn't want her to drive all the way down here just to find
that nothing would work out for her.  She didn't mind, she said.  She was
in no hurry, but did want to give it a try.
 
She came down on Sunday.  As Chris and Tara said, she was wonderful.  The
kind of person that I'd easily adopt out to.  The following is a brief
description of what she could choose from.
 
--2 year old male cinnamon/champagne, perfect health, excellent personality
  (would know adoptability after 4/4)
--2 1/2 year old female DEW, cute as a button, extremely playful
--1 3/4 year old femlae cinnamon, gorgeous,
  how-will-I-ever-let-go-of-this-ferret kind :-)
  (would know adoptability after 4/4)
 
--almost 1 year old female DEW, so tiny looks like a 12-week old, highly
  adoptable (this is the one I thought was best suited for her)
--5 or 6 month old male sable, keeps me in stitches he's so funny!  Is
  currently aggressive to other ferrets because he is being neutered on
  Thursday, but otherwise should calm down well when he's fixed
--a pair, one's 2 years old, chocolate, not happy being in shelter (but
  such an awesome ferret), the other is a 4 year old sable and was just
  diagnosed as most likely a lymphoma.  An incredible love-puff, will just
  sleep in your arms and make you feel loved.  Most likely he'd have to be
  a permanent shelter due to they lympho, making the other one automatically
  a permanent shelter (I don't split up pairs).
 
Those were her choices.  She chose the pair.  Let me restate: She chose the
PAIR, fully understanding that the 4 year old most likely has lymphoma.
 
We discussed the situation, the financial committment that this could
entail, the heartbreak that it could cause, the treatments that he might
need.  She didn't care; this was the pair that she liked, and she adopted
them.  I did not charge her an adoption fee.  For that matter, I could have
cried when she displayed this selfless act of love.  The 4 year old just
seemed to have this bond with Jenni from the moment that they saw each
other.  It was as if this ferret was saying "THIS is the Mommy I want to
have."
 
I could go on for pages about how special of a person it is that would adopt
these little guys.  But I think that the point comes across anyway.  She
could have chosen from any of the young, healthy ferrets, but she didn't.
If only more people like her would walk through my doors, through all of our
shelter doors.
 
I just got a wonderful e-mail from Jenni saying how great the ferrets all
seem to be getting along, they're playing together and the 4 year old even
curled up with her original ferret and slept together in the hammock.  The
introduction seems to be flawless.  It sounds as if they have finally found
a place to call home.
 
Bless you, Jenni.  Take good care of these little guys.  On second thought,
I don't even have to say that.  I already know that you will.
 
Kymberlie Becker Barone
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 2242]