One more time, she rides the Freedom Train.......
 
"Munchkin" as she would later be lovingly called arrived at Ferret Wise on
January 18,. 1995.  The phone rang early that morning, and I recognized
the voice of the Fish & Wildlife contact, "can you pick up a ferret we are
holding?, she was turned in yesterday after being found in the morning on
the steps of a hardware store in Leominster, MA" he said.  She's a wild one
but I hate to think of the other option, this is a pretty little ferret."
We agreed to transport that morning and both shelter Dad & Mom hopped into
the van for a trip and relay in Orange, MA.  To see what this abandoned
ferret was... we will never forget her.
 
(A critical and important part of the early and formative shelter years,
at Ferret Wise were, as a licensed rescue transport from the state of
Massachusetts.  Ferrets were not legal in Massachusetts when Ferret Wise
rescue began, prior to its incorporated days.  From early 1994 to March of
1995, when legalization took effect in the state of Massachusetts, Ferret
Wise transported, cared for, and placed more than 150 ferrets.  All were
refugees, illegal aliens of the state of Massachusetts.
 
This would not have been accomplished if Ferret Wise did not qualify for
an Export / Transport license issued through the MA Fish & Wildlife
Headquarters in both 1994 and 1995.  During these years Ferret Wise won
the trust and respect of both the Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife and the MA
Environmental Police.  We are proud to say we saved some precious ferret
lives in our early days.)
 
The tiny jill was in a wire cage and was hopping mad -- she had water,
food was strewn around-- she obviously was not pleased with recent
accommodations!  She was shuffled into the carrier we brought and we
started to load it in the van.  I wanted to reassure this tiny fgal all
would be okay.... she let me no on no uncertain terms she was unhappy.
Foolishly 20 minutes into the trip I tried again-- twice she won, twice I
was reprimanded!  Oh, well.
 
Once at the shelter, we let her out of the carrier into unconfined space, a
teeny little silver rocket ship -- she tore around like no one's business.
The ferret had ridden a freedom train straight to Ferret Wise and she
danced up a storm for hours.  Munchkin, she would shortly after be named,
was an unaltered silver mitt jill.  She had a beautiful white bib and ruby
eyes that danced with fire.  A fire that alpha females know well.  She was
the ruler, not to be ruled!  She was also in "heat" and hormones made her
even more unsteady in the temperament department.
 
"Munchkin's" estimated date of birth was 2/94 making her about 11 months of
age.  Munchkin was spayed on January 24th and recovered in short order.
All her blood tests showed she was healthy.  Her temperament would take a
bit of modifying -- she was evidently upset from the chaos and abandonment
experienced in her young life to date.  Munchkin never cared for other
ferrets, she was an ONLY child.  Because of this she was passed by time and
time again-- even after her personality was redeeming.  Finally a young
Vermont couple adopted her after several visits in September of 95.  They
agreed only one ferret was for their home!  We would get note and letters
from them telling us how she was the light of their lives.
 
The phone rang again in September of 1997, the couple had relocated to
Massachusetts and recently had a baby.  There was no more time for
Munchkin.  She arrived back at Ferret Wise on October 13, 1997.  A mere
shadow of the ferret we had known.  In her cage, which she left in, she was
eating plums, apples and bananas.  The ferret who left robust and healthy
on Totally Ferret food, was emaciated and thin.  Her coat was white-- her
ruby eyes were minus the spirit we had previously known.  Munchkin it was
plain to see was at her last home -- she needed lots of love and care.
Immediately it was determined she was to be started on a nutritional
support soup.  Within two months the white ferret began to turn silver
again.  This was great news, but there was some bad too, Munchkin had
impaired liver & kidney function.  Who knows the cause -- perhaps diet,
perhaps lack of food or water during her absence, perhaps the last
vaccinations she had before arriving in a malnourished state -- but the
truth was to be dealt with.  We added more supplements to her diet and the
vet and shelter folks were amazed.  In June of '98 Munchkin, still on her
soup supplement, traveled to NY and was entered in a silver specialty
ring-- she took 3rd place!
 
The condition of her kidney disease caused ups and downs... we were afraid
we would lose her prior to Christmas '98 about the same time we lost mascot
Ewok.  We were guided through sub-q fluid flushings by Dr. Karen, and once
again "Munchkin" triumphed.  Her appetite resumed.  Then finally at the end
of February she was slowing down-- she would take only small amounts of
soup, and her urine was exited via the pores on her skin, causing some
scalding.  We knew her end was nearing.  Still she ran to the door at the
shelter she asked to be picked up-- she was a loving gal.  On March 9, 199
Munchkin took her last ride on the Ferret Freedom train, both shelter Mom &
Dad saw her off.  She is not in pain and she we are sure is dancing among
the green fields where the rainbow meets the bridge.  She shares the fine
company of many ferrets who left before.  We prefer to think of Munchkin in
her early days-- when she was the spirited boss at the shelter-- backing
even the big Ewok into a corner!  Dance and play our little Munchkin, no
more will you be lost or forgotten... there is always time for you, in our
hearts you live on.
 
Ferret Wise is a 501c3 tax exempt organization, providing educational and
cruelty prevention programs and rehabilitation of ferret victims of abuse
and neglect.
 
Please visit our site at
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=1890&mid=9535
We receive  $2.00 for every new person who signs on, and its totally free
to help us.
Thank you from all the ferrets,  alicia
[Posted in FML issue 2612]