First I want to say that I hope the people who were so intent in their
postings about what Alex should have known or done differently step up
to the plate and answer the question she posted 2 days ago. I think,
after all you said about her, that you owe her that much and I also
think that the blanket statement that dogs and ferrets should never
coexist is so not sufficient an answer. I think there are lots of folks
on this list that have ferrets and dogs together without problems. I
say that because of many posts over the years to that affect. In fact
when I got my first ferret in 1995 I had a 4 year old Sheltie, who
was named Alex, who never, ever showed any aggression to my ferret,
Cinnamon. In fact, she did much as Ping did in that she would sneak up
on him when he was looking out the window, nip his foot and run. He
would turn around to see what had nipped him but he never tried to
retaliate. I had him until he died at age 9 and he was the most mellow
of dogs. I trusted him, as Alex did Allis, to be around my ferrets. Now
my current dog is another story as she is not the mellow dog that the
Sheltie was and I keep her gated away from my ferrets because I don't
trust her. I didn't know that she would be like that though as I got
her at 8 wks and she didn't show any interest in the ferrets then. One
incident though, several years ago, one of my ferrets somehow got over
that gate without my knowing and I came into the room to find my dog
and my ferret nose to nose but thankfully that was all my dog was doing
at that time. And before any one feels the need to slam me for having
her I take precautions to keep everyone separate and I have the luxury
of a home where I am able to do that.

The most terrible accident was 2 years ago. I had put the ferrets in
their cage in preparation to my leaving the house. 5 minutes later I
came back into the room on my way out and I glanced at the cage to
be sure I had shut both doors and to my horror my girl, Pebbles, was
hanging by her neck from the outside of the cage about 2 feet from the
floor. She had somehow managed to squeeze through the 1"x5" opening
and had gotten stuck. To this day I am not sure how she managed that,
though it appeared that she managed to get her head out coming out but
couldn't get her butt out so she put her head back through and then
her butt popped out leaving her hanging. Keep in mind she was on the
outside, 2 feet from the floor. I posted about that cage at that time
because in my opinion it is dangerous because of the spacing between
the wires. After that I put hardware cloth all around that cage but
that was pure reaction. Thankfully I didn't get slammed for my not
seeing that could happen because of course I couldn't. Just as Alex
could not foresee Allis' reaction that particular time.

I also agree with Bob's sentiment that no one will want to post of an
accident for fear of being slammed and then our ferrets and we will
suffer. I have learned so much from people posting of an accident
involving something I would have never thought of if that person hadn't
had the courage to post and warn others. So please everyone, if you
have something to say then say it in a courteous way, don't blast the
person out of the water in their time of pain and sorrow of losing a
beloved member of their family. If you think that person isn't already
feeling guilt about somehow failing their baby then let me tell you, I
still question whether there was anything I could have done to prevent
losing Pebbles in such a terrible way. I know in my head there wasn't
but in my heart.................

I think that the reactions of some to Alex's accident are indicative
of our times. It seems common place in our world for people who have
different views from another to not only disagree with the view but
also think it is alright to attack the other person for having a
different viewpoint. Wouldn't it be a much nicer world to live in if
we all observed the Golden Rule?? (do unto others as you would want
them to do unto you)

Ann

[Posted in FML 6096]