Hi Everyone,
 
Sorry I've not written in so long but computer problems still abound here
tho my mail is pretty reliable now if I do a few weird things:-)
 
An extremely recent event propels me to write this story to you all.  It is
about something many out there may never even think about.  An unfortunate
fact of shelter life is that no matter how many questions you ask prospective
adopters, no matter even if you check out their homes in advance to inspect
the living conditions your shelter babies will be living in, no matter if
you have a legal document read and signed by them stating the babies will
receive proper care (food, medical etc..) and that if they are no longer
wanted at any time they will be returned to the shelter, NO MATTER WHAT YOU
DO, some people will still be able to pull one over on you in the very end.
 
During the time before the ECE Plague struck my FANG Shelter I took in a LOT
of ferret babies.  Most often I could easily find homes for the ones 3 years
and younger and in good health.  No matter how much I expounded the virtues
of the older kids they always were passed over due to their age!  Some
people!  I did everything I could think to do to ensure the babies I placed
went to loving, caring homes that promised to care for them their entire
lives and in the manner I would myself.  I gave them a Ferret FAQ in advance
to read, I went over a lot of it with them afterwards to ensure they
understood what was required to care for ferrets.  I asked tons of
questions, some rather personal, in a questionnaire filled out in advance
and often I would visit the homes of these people to survey the living
conditions the babies would be living in.  I had them sign what I was told,
and they were told, was a legally binding document in which they guaranteed
proper care in all ways for the ferret in question and if EVER they chose to
no longer want that ferret , or if abuse was ever discovered by FANG, it
would be returned to FANG for proper replacement in a loving home.  Lastly
but most importantly I always checked my gut feeling about each prospective
adoption.  I found it often told me more than all the above could.  Even so,
I too, along with everyone else can still have the wool pulled over my eyes
on occasion.  This is about one of those times I am sad to say.
 
Many of you old-timers out there <ggg> may recall a sweet baby girl name of
Rockadoodle that entered my shelter about 1 1/2 years ago.  Within days I
discovered she had a sometimes swollen vulva with a smelly discharge.  Off
to the vet we went but it became quite an ordeal to diagnose the problem.
Some of you out there even sent in donations to help with Rocki's mounting
medical bills, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!  After undergoing exploratory surgery
thinking she was in heat it was found she was already spayed.  Then 3 weeks
on Amoxicillan Antibiotic followed with no improvement, she actually began
slipping away from me very quickly near the end of this time.  I made my
first call ever in desperation to Dr. Bruce Williams (now my ANGEL VET) at
his home late one nite, not realizing it was 1am his time (oops, sorry
Doc.).  Never the less this God sent Vet answered his phone at that late
hour and gave me all the time I required, thru my tears, to explain the
situation and then put me on the right path to help my sweet Rocki.  I
quickly dropped the vet I was seeing who would not listen to me nor Dr.
Bruce's advice and went running to my long time dog Vet (a wonderful man but
who had very limited ferret knowledge then) where a very simple yet crucial
urine test was performed revealing a very progressed bladder infection that
probably had invaded her kidneys as well.  Following Doc.  Bruce's advice a
stronger and much broader antibiotic, Cephalexin, was prescribed and Rocki
began on her road to recovery.  Rockadoodle was only the first of many of my
ferret babies who would have their lives saved or extended thru the help of
my ANGEL VET Dr. Bruce Williams!  This wonderful man already knows what he
means to me and the FANG GANG and soooo many others around the world.
 
During her ordeal another hard luck case name of BoBo came into the picture.
He and Rocki seemed to fall in love instantly.  He slept with her constantly,
lovingly and protectively thru her illness until she was completely well.  I
knew I could not possibly adopt them out as anything but a pair, forever
together from then on.  I was extremely bonded to both of these little ones
but since they were always being jumped on by the other ferrets here I felt
they would be far happier in another home tho it nearly killed me to think
of parting with them.  Enter into the picture a lady named Michell.  Michell
had recently bought a pet store ferret and then found out about FANG.  I got
to know her for awhile and she helped out at the shelter some at first.  I
considered her a real friend eventually.  She showed interest in adopting
both Rocki and BoBo knowing their histories and promising to give them homes
for life and proper care including watching for recurring bladder infections
in Rocki and treating them if needed.  I thought I had found the perfect
home.  Soon after that another rescue from FANG named Ghost joined their
family as well.  I even cut the adoption fees to a bare minimum on them all
and took payments over 6 to 8 months instead of it all up front in gratitude
for her keeping Rocki and BoBo as a set and giving me peace of mind they
were going to the perfect home.
 
I visited them fairly often at Michell's house and all seemed great.  They
had a nice cage with covered floor and hammock etc..., quality food and I
was told their shots were being kept up to date as well.  Ghost had gone to
them only 1 week after coming to FANG so I was taking him in for his shots
and paying for them as part of the adoption agreement.  Rocki and BoBo's
shots were current when I adopted them to her as well.  I worried about
Rocki because the hair on her belly that was shaved off during the
exploratory surgery was not growing back at all.  I strongly suspected
adrenal problems at that point and urged Michell to get her to a vet and
have the surgery done.  I was told several times that Rocki had gone to vets
and was going to have the surgery then all of a sudden the story would be
that her hair had grown back etc.... Still I worried and felt the disease
was present and required surgery so I kept mentioning it fairly often.  I
was even told only a few months ago they were getting a home loan and the
first order of business was the surgery for Rocki.  I thought this was a
friend and that I could trust her so I believed her and felt relief that
this would finally be done.
 
Then tragedy struck FANG in the form of the ECE Plague as I now call it.
All h*ll broke loose as we tried desperately to save all 27 infected shelter
kids.  It can only be considered by my Mom and I as a miracle that we
managed to save them all, plus a LOT of hard work as well considering I lost
30 pounds in the first 30 days after it hit and Mom was totally exhausted
too, unfortunately the symptoms have continued even thru today almost one
year later.  This year has been filled with crisis after crisis.  I myself
have had major medical problems, my computer died as the FML knows, the ECE
raged on, at the end of that first ECE month my father passed away after his
second by-pass heart surgery never making it out of the hospital or even
into consciousness after surgery, my ferret Squeeker was diagnosed with
major heart problems and after a 7 week valiant fight to survive also passed
away recently, my two Godson ferrets (via David) Blackjack and Noodle became
very ill and crossed Rainbow Bridge after valiant battles too, my new
computer is plagued with problems no one can solve, my Mom's little Yorkie
(originally my baby but chose to live with Grandma and Grandpa) has been
going thru a life and death struggle for two months now and is still
battling to regain his health with no assurances that he will succeed, and
now one week ago my ferret Fang was diagnosed with Giardia and adrenal
problems so as soon as Mom's baby Shadow can be stabilized she, David and I
will undertake the overwhelming task of treating all 25 ferrets and both my
dogs for Giardia including steam cleaning ALL the carpets in my home
ourselves, disinfecting over 60 litter boxes and bathing all 27 in one shot
and generally sterilizing EVERYTHING that could possibly have contact with
their poopy all in only a matter of days so as to not have areas reinfected.
After this treatment Fang will undergo surgery for his adrenal as well.
Unfortunately due to all this plus the fact I insist I go to my Mom's to
undergo what I call de-bugging before going around ANY other ferrets so as
not to infect them with ECE and the added problem of Michell living a good
ways from me I did not get to visit Rocki, BoBo and Ghost much at all in the
last year.  To do so became an all day or all nite process and I just didn't
have the time or energy reserves to do it at all in probably the last 8
months or so, not to mention Michell having major problems in her life too I
was told.  I did speak to her on the phone fairly often and always asked how
my babies were doing (of course I called them her babies but every FANG
adoptee will ALWAYS be MY baby too).  Sometimes there were months with no
contact and I had no way to reach her when she had no phone and then I was
not given the new number once they had a phone again.  Then a short while
back she recontacted me with the new number and recently the reports were
they were all doing well and Rocki's hair had grown back etc...
 
Last week came the first sign something was terribly wrong.  Michell called
my Mom to talk and all of a sudden started mentioning she had sinus problems
and her son was having asthma problems etc... and then said a doctor she had
seen immediately stated it was her ferrets and she should get rid of them.
My Mom told her it was very hard to believe that all of a sudden this would
just happen since she had never mentioned anything like this ever before.
Mom suggested she seek a second opinion from a qualified allergist.  I had a
message left on my machine earlier that day sounding urgent from Michell
asking me to call her ASAP and after talking to Mom and hearing all this I
assumed she was trying to find an excuse to get rid of the ferrets for some
reason.  I had one of my gut feelings that told me this was just a big story
she had concocted (a lot of things she had been saying to Mom and I were
contradicting herself and we had grown suspicious of everything she said
lately) and I was shocked to think she wanted to just dump these innocent
babies she had sworn were now her children for life no matter what.  I hung
up and called Michell right away and she seemed to have no idea why I was
calling, said she had only called to chat earlier (she needed me to call
ASAP to chat??), and in talking over 20 minutes she NEVER mentioned the
ferrets even once.  I was to say the least very confused.  Then 2 days ago
the bomb dropped!  Another message left on my machine stating very bluntly
in her words, "I am getting rid of the ferrets do you want them back or
what.  I am just so busy anymore they don't get the time out and attention
they need and I feel it is unfair to them, call me as soon as you can." No
tears, no emotion, no nothing!  She knew I too would have shot down her
allergy story just as Mom had so apparently didn't dare try that one on me.
 
I went into shock upon hearing this and broke down and cried for 20 minutes
before I could even act.  What did this woman expect me to do for heaven's
sake??  My house was filled with ECE infection and since I absolutely knew
in my heart Rocki had adrenal cancer that had not been taken care of it
would be signing her death warrant should she enter my home.  She knew I
could not possibly turn my back on them either and just say it was her
problem so deal with it and find them homes.  Even if she found Rocki a home
chances would be her medical problems would not be taken care of.  Who knows
if Rocki and BoBo would be kept together in such a situation?  I was nearly
paralyzed to non-action by all of this running thru my mind.  Worst of all
tho, the deepest feeling of betrayal I had ever felt permeated every ounce
of my being.  How could she do this to my babies and how could she do this
to me?  I had been a good friend to her thru everything and this was how I
was repayed?  I am sure you can ALL imagine what words I truly wanted to say
to this viper woman but first I had to find a solution to this and get my
babies away from her immediately.  Filled with desperation, guilt and fear
my first phone call was to the only ferret person in my area that I KNEW I
could TRULY trust, my best friend David Caudill.
 
Thru my tears and sobs I managed to relay the situation to David and his
immediate response (as I knew it would be) was to say they could come to
live with him until we figured out something permanent and we should get
them from her ASAP!  He knew the story of Rockadoodle, BoBo and Ghost tho he
had never gotten to meet them back then.  One down one to go.  I called my
Mom and relayed everything to her only this was much harder as I had to ask
something of her I hated to have to ask.  Michell also knew I was in deep
financial straits and that the ONLY way I was even able to take care of the
constant medical needs for the now permanent 25 FANG GANG members was with
the love and money from my mom.  In the last two months time tho my Mom had
incurred over $1200 in vet bills with Shadow, over $500 in vet bills with my
ferrets and my 2 dogs, and now the cost of the Giardia mess plus Fang's
adrenal coming up real quick.  My Mom is not a rich woman and now I had to
ask if she could take care of Rocki's medical needs as well immediately.
David is also in financial difficulty being off work due to medical reasons
and only receiving disability pay at a reduced rate.  He was agreeing to
take on a great burden only to help me and three ferrets in dire need, I
could not even expect him to pay the costs and knew he had no way to anyway.
I have never felt more love for my Mom in my life as when she immediately
said to get those babies out of there now and we would figure a way to pay
for things somehow.
 
Finally, after calling Michell all day many times she called me back at
almost 10 pm.  Tho she had not expected to part with the ferrets for another
week I told her right then was convenient for me as I had David there to
help me and we had just de-bugged etc.... It was the truth but I would have
said anything to get my babies out of there NOW!  She said ok and we took
off on our rescue mission.  Anger was coursing thru me and it took
everything I had to fake niceness upon arriving there but when I saw what I
saw next my anger turned to pure raging hatred.  They were in two cages both
with bare wire floors tho she knew better.  One had a hammock so worn thru
it had daylight showing thru the entire bottom of it and would soon be one
huge hole.  I saw ORANGE poop in the boxes and immediately looked at the
food bowls.  What did I find but a cheap grocery store brand crap food.  She
knew what to feed them and had in the beginning now I wondered how long my
sweet babies had been eating this crap?  Ghost appeared in good health from
what we could immediately see and then BoBo appeared and seemed ok too.
When Rocki was brought out and handed to me came my raging hatred for this
so called human being!!  Her once lush, long, soft, mink like coat was no
more.  What I held was a scraggly, balding baby with what little of her hair
that was left containing huge mats that had to be cut out once back at
Mom's.  Not in my arms but 10 seconds and I felt a large lump located above
her upper spine area.  NO ONE could possibly miss this obvious tumor of some
type even if only petting her as anyone would a pet to show affection!  Then
this woman tried to tell me all this hair loss just happened in the last
week!!!!  Good Lord who did she think she was talking to?  A brain damaged
moron that just fell off a turnip truck or what?  I run a ferret shelter and
she had the balls to try and tell me such a ignorant lie?  Rocki then proved
that ONLY humans can exhibit such betrayal and disregard for life, her
greeting to me was a rain of kisses upon my nose, cheek, chin and every part
of me she could get to.  She remembered her Mommy who truly loved her and I
have never in my life felt so undeserving of such affection.  I bit my
tongue, forced down the raging hatred and my tears and rushed the kids to my
waiting car.  David and I got them in as quick as we could, I told Michell I
hoped her life got better and drove off into the night as fast as possible.
I made it two blocks before having to stop as my tears blinded me.  I held
my Rockadoodle tight to me and kissed her all over asking her to please
forgive me for having put her in that home, knowing I would never be able to
forgive myself.  Asking myself how this could have happened, how I could
have been soooooo wrong.  Rocki's answer to me?  Complete, unconditional
love as another rain of kisses poured down on me from her and she gave me a
look that only asked "Mommy please take me home where I will be safe once
again".  After reaching my Mom's I discovered not only was Rocki quite
dehydrated but her vulva was swollen at least 10 times it's normal size as
well.  Was the bladder infection back again running rampant or was it the
adrenal only?  No way to know right then.  Then I granted Rocki's request
and did take her home, only now it would have to be to David's home due to
the ECE at mine that would definitely kill her in her condition.  THANK GOD
that now she would TRULY be home for David had made the decision by then
that Rocki and BoBo would absolutely stay with him now forevermore.  Ghost
may also be with David forever too but that decision will be made after some
settling in time has taken place.  After all David already has 5 of his own
plus now Rocki and BoBo unexpectedly came into his life and we all know
ferrets can be very expensive when you commit to giving them the proper care
they deserve.  David still has vet bills to pay from Blackjack and Noodle
too.  We'll see but I have a sneaking suspicion that Ghost is probably HOME
for good too now.  David can no more turn his back on a ferret in need than
I can and he won't turn his back on me either.  This is the one friend I CAN
be sure of.  I am eternally grateful I have at least that ONE!
 
Rocki went to my vet the very next day.  She received the needed sub-q
fluids (which we tried to do the nite before but boy can this little girl
put up a fight, a good sign tho<ggg>), a urine test was done showing no
infection thank goodness, and her surgery is set for next Thursday morning.
My brother is having a garage sale next week as luck would have it so David,
my mom and I are currently searching our homes for everything we can sell to
cover the medical costs that will run over $400 minimum plus another $60 I
spent for ferret food supplies to start David out with.  Tho my babies will
have David as their new Daddy and will live with him I will still be Mommy
and plan to visit them a great deal.  NEVER again will they want for
anything, I, David and my Mom guarantee that, just as Mom and I have done
for my permanent 25, I guess it's 28 now:-)
 
My worst problem to deal with at this time hit me later on the nite we
rescued Rocki, BoBo and Ghost.  What has been the fate of ALL the babies I
adopted thru FANG?  Are they in truly good homes?  Are they even still in
the homes I adopted them to?  Are they alive and well and getting everything
they need?  How can I feel comfortable that they are when the last person I
ever expected to do such awful things to my adoptees was Michell and we all
know how that has ended?  I have always worried about these questions since
the creation of FANG and have always told myself I did the best I could for
them all, it was the most ANYONE could have done and more than anyone else
here was willing to do, but will that honestly help me sleep better at nite
after this?  The answer is NO!  I will always wonder about my babies, each
and every one, and now especially I will fear the worst and the worst
includes that I have no way to ever know and never will.
[Posted in FML issue 2051]