Back in January of this year in Bedford, UK a little silver mitt hob was
found onboard a lorry that had arrived from France.  Officers from the
Dept of Trade were in attendance when the ferret, now named Eric, was
discovered.  A ministry vet was summoned and Eric was whisked off to serve
6 months quarantine.
 
Now Eric might have been a British ferret who had managed to get on the
back of the lorry when the driver stopped for a break in the UK but no one
was taking any chances.
 
In February a friend of mine who runs Bedford Ferret Welfare heard of Eric's
plight and immediately pledged that she would raise the money for Eric's
stay in quarantine kennels.  Thanks to the generosity of members of the
public, other ferret welfares and folk on the FML Eric's fees were met.
Mary and Mike visited Eric in the kennels on several occasions - fortunately
for Eric his quarantine kennels were excellent and he was really well cared
for, although he was just fed dried food, no whole carcass at all.  Since
being freed Eric will not look at dried food and will only eat chicks and
raw meat!
 
On the 22 July Eric was released.  The first thing Mary did with Eric when
they got him home was put him down on the lawn, Eric loved the feel of the
grass on his paws and fur after being kept indoors for 6 months.
 
Eric was later taken to the vet for castration and for the removal of a
cyst from his neck plus he had a damaged eye, the vet left the damaged eye
alone as it wasn't causing any problems.
 
Eric is now living with Perrie and her 10 kits, well grown-up kits (I think
Mary said they were 8 months old now) - and is enjoying life to the full.
 
I met Eric for the first time a couple of months ago, he such a laid back
ferret, and a real charmer.
 
I can remember at one time a rabid animal got loose into the countryside,
must be 30 or so years ago, MAFF were really worried about the local
wildlife and whether or not they had been infected.  I can still see, in
my mind's eye, the image of lines of men armed with shotguns and rifles
marching through the fields and woods shooting any thing that moved, I
can't remember just what radius this mass slaughter of our fauna covered
but it was pretty horrific.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & Editor of The National Ferret Welfare Society.
Web Site: www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm  last update 19 Nov 1998
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill, Deanna Troy, Cameron, Carnath, Button &
Bill.
[Posted in FML issue 2504]