My name is Rosemarie Maracich, I am a professional who works in
Manhattan and resides in Fairfield, CT with my partner Shay MacInnis.

Last week, we took an annual vacation to Puerto Rico and left our
beloved dog and ferret in the hands of our extremely trustworthy friend
Susan who lives in Long Beach, NY. We left for vacation on Sunday,
February 22nd. On Monday, February 23rd Susan noticed that Ollie, the
ferret was suddenly missing. Ferrets are known to sleep for long
periods of time, so initially she wasn't extremely concerned until
some time had lapsed and he didn't turn up -- fear took over with
the realization that somehow he had gotten out of the house! She
frantically searched for him from Tuesday, February 24th through the
rest of the week. She notified me on Wednesday, February 25th that he
was missing -- our vacation was ruined. We proceeded to create tons of
flyers with his photo (attached) and distributed them across all of
Long Beach in the hopes that someone would find him. We also called the
police department and all of the local animal hospitals and shelters to
see if anyone had found him and turned him in - to no avail.

Finally, on Monday March 2nd - we got a call from a woman who works
at All Creatures Animal Hospital in Long Beach stating that a man had
called earlier in the week and said he found a ferret (two blocks away
from Susan's apartment) - he provided his phone number in the hopes
that someone called looking for him. Unfortunately, she was off over
the weekend and didn't know we had physically come in with the flyer.
We immediately called the man who found him and he informed us that he
called Freeport Animal Shelter who came to pick him up on Tuesday,
February 24th. We immediately called Freeport Animal Clinic on Monday,
March 2nd (during the snowstorm) at 830am and spoke to someone who told
us that a Nicole had brought Ollie home. We were thrilled that someone
had him and that he was safe and warm inside someone's home until we
could get to him. Later that day we called a few more times, and no one
returned our calls. Yesterday, Tuesday March 3rd we PHYSICALLY showed
up at the shelter. After getting the runaround for about 10 minutes -
we finally got an answer from Stephanie the Director... that he was
adopted out to someone. We we shocked and outraged. They proceeded to
tell us that there is some sort of law that states after 5 DAYS any
animal at a shelter is available for adoption and that this is a legal
issue that cannot be turned around. My first thought is HOW COULD THIS
APPLY TO A LOST ANIMAL AND THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS WHO FOUND HIM -
MIRACULOUSLY AFTER ONLY 5 SHORT DAYS. Stephanie said she would call the
new owner to see if she would give him back -- after another few hours
of torturous waiting - she calls very matter of factly to tell us -
"sorry, she won't give him back"!

I have two questions:

1). How could a so-called "safe haven" animal shelter and animal
advocate facility, leave our poor OLLIE with absolutely no rights!
Selfishly this person who adopted him doesn't want to give him back.
And the shelters only concern is being wrapped up in the legalities!
What about what's best for Ollie? Which is to be with his loving
family, that has raised him over the last two years surrounded by all
things familiar and everything he loves... mostly the people who have
made him the socialized and loving creature that he is today?! Ollie
has no rights according to Freeport Animal Shelter... he is being
forced to live with a stranger because the law sais so??? I don't
think so!

2). How could any animal loving human NOT give an animal back to it's
rightful owners? How could the shelter even adopt an animal out to this
type of person?

We have sent countless emails, have put our story on Face book, and all
over the internet - petitions are being created and signed and have
contacted every person in any powerful position who may be able to help
us. WE NEED YOUR HELP! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

We were told by the Long Beach police department that we will need to
file a CIVIL LITIGATION... I can't believe it will have to come to
that? What kind of world do we live in? And what kind of facility that
is created to protect animals and reunite them with their owners or
find them suitable homes... and looks for compassionate people to
donate money and time to help homeless animals - do something like
this? There are hundreds of ferrets and other animals who are homeless
that need homes. OLLIE HAS A HOME! It is unacceptable... and we refuse
to live with it.

PLEASE HELP US GET OLLIE BACK!!!!

Rosemarie Maracich
Director, Special Events
MTV NETWORKS
(212)258-8241

Shay MacInnis
President / Owner
Chez Shay A Hair Studio
(203)296-9809

[Posted in FML 6264]