Ok i will add my 2 cents.  I run Ferrets Etc. rescue here in Colorado
and have been doing rescue for 10 years now.  When it comes to age I will
admit I am very careful about teenagers getting ferrets.  It is not as
much a issue that I think they are not responsible enough, many are but
it is more a issue of where will they be in the next few years, ie:
college.  I really like my adoptions to teenagers to be a family choice
and not for the teenager themself for that reason.  If the teen goes off
to college I want the ferrets to be as much a part of the families life
as well so he/she will not be uprutted to a rescue again, because by
that time the ferret is most likely old and hard to place.
 
It is a hard situation and should be case by case and I try to examine it
that way.  I had my first ferret at 14 , way before they became "popular"
and the ferret moved from Las Vegas with me to college in Virginia via
plane.  Then after college I had 3 then , we moved cross country in a
small car to Colorado.  Me 3 ferrets a cat and a doberman.  So I would
never say animals and young people do not mix because I did it, but I
think teens and young people really have to exam where they will be in
the next 2, 4 etc years....because it is not fair to them if you life
situation changes and you get rid of them.
 
I will also say this I see just as many "Adults" willing to throw their
ferrets away for the life change of having a baby and that angers me more
than the college reason.  I hate the excues of how hard it is, especially
when I went thru 4 years infertility treatment, 2 extremly high risk
pregnancies and had no less than 10 ferrets at anyone time.  And though I
slowed Ferrets Etc almost to a halt for a few years I did not ever think
to give up any of my ferrets, cats , dogs or birds.  You make it work.  I
have to say the baby reason inflames me the most.  I have a 3 and 5 year
old now who respect animals more than most adults and are great ferret
helpers, you just have to make a sacrifice of sleep sometimes to take
care of your pets and it is worth it.
 
Anyway i could go on about this issue forever but won't :-) take care all
and love to all the fuzzie and feathered animals out there who only want
a family to love them and care for them.
 
Stephanie
[Posted in FML issue 4078]