[Posted in 2 parts which were combined... BIG]
Two weeks ago I was contacted through a friend of a friend of a friend of a
friend. A woman was recently ousted out of her residence (still not sure
why) and needed someone to look after her four ferrets while she searches
for new living accommodations. I readily agreed knowing full well that it
could be as long as three months. But she needed help and it was days
before the end of the month. She needed someone fast. I charge her only
$20 a month as I know she is on a limited government income.
I know that this may receive flames of my own but I have to be honest and
write the truth, otherwise other ferrets could potentially end up like this
woman's'.
The truth of this saga starts by getting only half truths or parts of
stories but never really getting the whole truth. I still will never
understand why people feel they can't be honest and just fess up
everything, so that at least you can cut to the chase and deal with a
given situation directly and swiftly.
This woman had her ex drive her and her ferrets over to my house. I had
many fears before they arrived... I was heartbroken when they came true.
The four ferrets were jammed into a small travel carrier, and it was a warm
day, traveling in the front seat of a small truck. The small cages were
bare wire, and the only thing they had to lie in was two dirty towels, and
two filthy hammocks.
As she passed me their food, which was a generic Low Ash cat food, she
included two large boxes of fruit loops, which was followed up with a,
"We don't give them treats that often, only once in a while." Later I find
a bowl that is obviously used to hold a bowlful of fruit loops, as the
stuck on crumbs at the bottom attest to.
We go through the medical conditions of each one, as they explore their
temporary surroundings of my living room. All are fine, she declares and
don't look in bad shape necessarily... Their coats are very coarse, and one
walks a little funny.... I ask how long she has had them. "One year." she
replies. "All of them?" I ask. Yes is her answer. Hmmm, but one is 7
months old... this doesn't add up to me. Two came from a pet store in
which she paid $200 a piece, plus $200 for the cage, which she is still
paying for as she is on some social assistance and can only make small
payments. The two others she found out of the Bargain Finder of which her
ex proudly says that she only paid $60 for two ferrets and a cage. "See
honey, it's good to shop around."
After they leave I cry. I look at each ferret and find that their feet are
red and sore... probably from just walking on wire all the time. I look at
the oldest, who is a female, and notice she has a broken tail that has long
since healed. My heart wonders if it was her or the previous owner. I
almost don't want to know. The second oldest has patches of hair
missing... I fear adrenal, or bad diet. I pray for just a bad diet. The
third one, is a chubby male... I can't see anything wrong with him. Later
I discover he is stone deaf. The last one, a tiny female, is underweight
but still okay otherwise. Why did she omit to tell me these things?
I decide to hold off in phoning her to tell her what I have discovered so
that I can talk to her in person and see if I can see anything in her eyes.
In the meantime, I call my friend who is saviour to ferrets in cages, and
she brings toys, baby blankets, tubes, bowls, and mats so that we can
refurbish the cages. I sew hammocks until 1 in the morning. The first one
is completed in 3 hours and looks marvelous. The second is done in the
second week. The ferrets actually now go into their cages on their own. I
change the litter to pellets. I change their food to high quality kitten
food.
By the following Saturday I am anxious but cool. One by one I go over my
discoveries... deafness? Never noticed. Broken tail? Yes, I knew about
that one, but forgot to mention it. Hair falling out and thin? Really?
Didn't notice. Luckily the ex says he noticed it when they got him. My
recommendation is to leave it for a short while. Maybe it is diet and talk
to her about the food. If no change, then we will have to take him to the
vet. I show her the refurbished cages and she is ecstatic with glee. I
can see she loves her ferrets. And just maybe she needed a little helping
hand in making life more comfortable for them.
By the next Saturday, the ferret with hair loss is losing yet more hair.
She flies into a panic and rushes to call a vet for emergency. I tell her
that in my opinion, he will not die overnight and can wait until Monday,
when he can be seen by the vet without emergency, off hours charges. She
insists and an appointment is made for Sunday. As I find out later, her
vet is open 7 days a week, so no special charge applies. I am grateful
inside.
The vet asks for a little history and it is then that I find out that she
has had the older ones for about three months. The younger ones about
6 months. When the vet asks when she noticed the hair loss, the woman
replies that it didn't happen until he got to my house. I am angry but
quick to straighten the story out. Thankfully the ex backs me up. More
lies appear and more things have to be straightened out. As we wait for
x-rays I find out from the ex that her history of having animals and giving
them up, is long. She has had many... cats, dogs, chinchillas, guinea
pigs... the list went on and on. And always with the same outcome.
Couldn't afford care - gave them up or euthanized them. I am furious
inside. Then I find out that she had children and that they were taken
from her too.... I am speechless....
As we sit in the waiting room she remarks on how proud she was to have
gotten him in the vet so quickly. Inside I wonder why he didn't have a vet
record when I first brought him in. Why did she wait until I said
something to bring him him. Proud my ass...
The result of the vet tests discloses nothing definitive except slightly
enlarged adrenals, and a suspect spot on the stomach, but without blood
work done, it can't be narrowed down. She talks of euthanizing him because
she cannot afford the lab test that will cost her $110. I think about
paying it myself, but I know in my heart that she is expecting it. In her
life there will always be money for smokes, beer, and a cell phone, but not
for her ferrets when they really need help. I tell her that if she loves
him she has the option of surrendering him. That way he will get the help
he needs but will be allowed to live out his life. As I find out from her
ex, she feels that I am trying to take all of her ferrets from her. I try
to explain that this one is my only concern at this point. Her ex turns
out to be the voice of reason and explains that they have gone through this
far too often and that pets, if you want them, need to be looked after.
She refuses to admit that maybe she is not in the position to give them all
that they deserve. She is angry and defensive. Reluctantly but finally,
she agrees to surrender him.
So, here I sit. Shaking my head at the half truths and lies I have been
fed. I am stressed at having to deal with a person who must hide the truth
in order to look better in my eyes. But instead of looking like someone
who just needed to be educated, she looks like a liar and a cheat. I begin
to worry about the future of the remaining three. I can't sleep at night,
and I cry often during the day. A part of me wants her to find a new baby
sitter, just so that I don't have to deal with her lies anymore. But in my
heart, I want them here so that I can see their progress and know that they
are okay. They aren't mine but already I am heartbroken looking towards
the day when they leave.
Tonight I will have her sign the surrender papers. I can't help but feel
he is the lucky one out of her three. I know it sounds cruel. It's my
anger talking. But I will add this much, so that most of you will
understand where I am coming from; I lost my job last November. We are now
a single income family. We have 10 ferrets to look after of our own, and I
am fostering one more. We are not rich by any means, and most months we
just cruise through, having just enough to buy our necessities. We have
taken to putting aside some money every month so that our ferrets have the
care they need when they need it. We gave up going to movies, out to eat,
having cell phones, or having cable. We don't smoke or drink, and we
haven't been on a holiday since the mid 80's, so life may seem awfully
boring to most. But we have the lives of so many to look after, it would
be selfish to say that our luxuries were worth more than their health, or
their lives. But most of all we know that they are our responsibility,
until the day when they draw their last breaths.
Bottom line... now and for always.
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
[Posted in FML issue 3054]
|
