Dear FML,
I am a ferret owner, and foster-mom.  I am writing to ask two things.
First, Can anyone help transport overflow from our local Minnesota shelter
to any of the following cities: Jefferson City, or St.Louis Missouri, or
Nashville Tennessee?  The local shelter is crowded beyond the capacity that
can be accomodated.  There is a shelter that can take the overflow, and
all these guys need is a ride.  I transported 10 ferrets in November, but
cannot make the trip right now because I'm scheduled to have surgery on
Monday.  Unfortunately all the foster homes are full, and there are over
50 ferrets at the shelter alone.  We are in dire need of foster homes, and
adoptions.
 
The person who runs the shelter has not even been able to read the FML for
months now, she's too busy caring for the sick, the terminal, and the
newcomers.  We have repeatedly appealed to the members of our local club,
and those who came forward to help were just a minor fraction of the
members.  We have posted everywhere trying to find adoptive homes, but it
seems that people aren't adopting when they can get a baby at any of the
twin cities Petco's.  We are trying to get Petco to stop selling ferrets,
which brings me to the next issue.
 
It has been suggested that there is some sort of regulation preventing the
shipment of young kits to pet shops, for sale.  We are seeing kits as young
as 4-6 weeks old in our local pet shops.  We tried suggesting that it was
not legal to transport such young babies, but were told by the state
officials that there is no regulation prevening the shipment of ferrets
that young.  If anyone can provide a copy of any existing regulation re:
the age of ferrets that are too young to ship, PLEASE... either let me know
how to get a copy, or better yet send it to me at [log in to unmask]
 
On a final note, if you live in the twin cities area, and can either foster
a ferret, or would like to adopt one, again: PLEASE contact me, and I will
put you in touch with the shelter.  The angel who runs the shelter cannot
go on like this.  She barely has time to eat and sleep.  Christmas won't be
coming to the Minnesota shelter this year.  Dawn
[Posted in FML issue 2530]