Yep, me again.  ALWAYS GET SIGNED CONTRACTS.  EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO HAND COPY
A CONTRACT.  NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER SKIP IT.
 
Now the warning.  If you board ferrets, MAKE SURE YOU GET A CONTRACT
SIGNED.  If anyone in your home takes in the boarders in your absence,
MAKE SURE YOU GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED!
 
I had a verbal agreement with a family who adopted that I would care for
their ferrets for a month, the mother understood I do not board for free.
They dropped the ferrets off in July, I was out, and my husband took them.
They have called twice, and visited twice, the second time was today.  Oh
they reason they wanted them boarded is because the real-estate agent told
them the house would sell faster if the ferrets and other animals were
removed from the home.
 
The one ferret has developed an adrenal tumor.  I called them on this past
Wednesday, the mother called back, and asked if you put a ferret down for
that, I told her no, you get the surgery.  It runs around $200.  Oh, we
can't afford that.  I told her, surrender them to the shelter, and I will
get the surgery.  No problem with that.  But they want to adopt a ferret to
replace him.  Not from my shelter!  Or any other in this area.
 
Well, they came over and wanted to take the one adopted from the shelter
and I told them no.  The adoption contract allows me to keep her if I find
they are not being responsible.  And with all the time that had lapsed,
they were considered abandoned.  I would not split the pair.
 
I told them they weren't responsible for the ferret.  They had no contact
with me in two months, and I wouldn't have heard from them if I hadn't
called about Tramp.  I was told, we had a bad couple of months, you know we
were trying to sell the house, and move and all.  We were too busy to call.
Never mind, they owe boarding fees.
 
Well, we are getting into attorneys now, and I am going to have to fight to
keep Kayla.  I have caller ID, and none of the calls from the past three
months have been taken out.  (Only the private calls, and the we want to
sell you something calls - this family shows up on caller ID) And I
documented on the calendar when each contact that was made.
 
Personally, I feel they were abandoned, and forgotten about until I called.
I am interested in what others think.
 
Wish me luck, when it comes to legal things and attorney's - I need it.
 
Jean
Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter
Home of Trooper, Semper Fi, and Melt Down, II
[Posted in FML issue 2445]