A special thank you to Rick White of San Antonio Area Ferret
Enthusiasts (SAFE), who followed up on the story about the fire in
south Texas. There is more to the story than was reported. Rick talked
to both the reporter and to the family. He has given me permission to
share his emails. I have edited them in the interest of shortening them
and removing some personal notes. Just so you know, they were given
contact info for a closer ferret shelter and they had many of their
possessions already moved, so did not lose everything. Family and
friends are helping them.

Rick's emails follow:
Wild Peach is a tiny rural community located in Brazos County between
Victoria and Galveston. It is near Rosenburg, and Brazos Bend State
Park. I have just talked to Mena El-Sharkawi who reported on the story.
I gave Mena our telephone numbers, website URL and my email address. I
also told her that we would like to offer our condolences and also
assist the family if possible.

Just got off the telephone talking to Keven Jones. He was given our
information by Mena and then returned our call. There are some updates
and facts of this tragedy that must be brought to light. Keven Jones
age 32 and Amanda Barnett age 23 lived together with their four ferrets
ages 2 thru 6 years old and a 7 weeks old kitten lived together in a
rented home belonging to an 80 year old family friend.

Both Keven and Amanda were at work at the time of the fire. The animals
were "free roam" in a designated "ferret proofed" room of the house.
The bodies of three ferrets have been recovered and buried on family
property. The 4th Ferret and the kitten have not been located at this
time, but it is doubtful that they survived. The Elderly Mr. , owner of
the burned home also suffers from Parkinson disease. Unsure that the
family wasn't inside, the man kicked in the front door of the
fire-engulfed house, and received burns from the flames as he attempted
to enter the house. Forced back from the house, he summoned help to
call the fire department.

Though the deaths of the animals are a devastating loss to Keven and
Amanda, they are very happy to know that the ferret community shares
the sorrow of their loss. Keven assured me that ferrets are very much a
part of their lives, and will be again in the future when they are
settled into their new home. They have no children and there are
currently no plans for children in their future. Their ferrets were
their children, and the kitten was their newest fur child addition to
their family.

Keven asked me to relay his sincere thanks and gratitude to all the
ferret community for their concerns and sympathies for them and their
family. He thanked me again, and said that if needed, he knew that he
could count on our help.

-- 
renee :)
It's amazing how much can be accomplished if nobody cares who gets the credit!
Ferret Emergency Response, Rescue & Evacuation Team (F.E.R.R.E.T.)
http://www.ferretemergency.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org

[Posted in FML 5410]