Hi to Everyone and their Fuzzies,
 
Lisette I'm sorry to here of the distruction to the wetlands and that you
and your fuzzies won't be able to share their beauty anymore.  While
visiting the Colorado Zoo several years ago I ran into a truth sign at
the very end.  It was a mirror with a caption under it reading,"Worlds
most dangerous animal".  As most people do, you find yourself looking in
the mirror to see yourself looking back.  Maybe someone should hold this
mirror to the people involved and see what they find.  Personally, I feel
they need more then a fine, but I don't think BIG is allowed to print the
evil things I'm thinking.
 
To Rick at U.F.O. this sounds similar to my S.P.S.(Stupid People Syndrome).
I'm afraid I don't have any solutions except education on ferrets and all
pets, and sometimes little white lies to those who still don't get it.  Our
shelter operator is a gem.  She spends at least two hours, sometimes more,
upon initial contact with perspective ferret owners answering and asking
every question she can think of and you don't get to go home with one yet.
It seems sometimes she can talk to people till she's blue in the face about
the ins and outs of owning a ferret and still we have ferrets that are
returned two months later or turned into us at 7-8 years old after spending
all that time with their owner.  Ferrets get depressed over this there's no
doubt about that.  They bond very deeply to the people they share a home
with for all those years.  Their are very few excuses I personally accept
from people who do this.  We have even discussed asking people what their
living habits are to determine if they have the love, time and dedication
it takes to properly care for a ferret.  It may be getting a little
personal, but if it avoids one ferret from going to an improper home then
it's worth the ask.  She has even gone on instinct and not adopted to
people if something didn't seem quite right.  Guess what?  They just get
their ferret somewhere else and sure enough at some point that same ferret
ends up in our shelter.
 
As for answers the only one I have is to work with people in the pet
community and if required get in their face.  Here in Winnipeg, Canada
we have made a few steps in starting to do this.  We work in conjunction
with the local Humane Society.  When they get ferrets in no matter the
circumstance they call us to come and get them.  We also now work with the
City of Winnipeg Animal Services.  Now instead of picking up a ferret that
is stray or has bitten someone and euthanizing it to send it for the always
negative rabies testing, they call our emergency hotline and we go rescue
the ferret or they do the rescue and call us to pick up the ferret.  We do
educational seminars for up and coming vet techs at our local college and
give information packages to pet stores to give to people who are thinking
of or are buying a ferret, because the bottom line is people are going to
buy ferrets whether the booklets are there or not.  At least they know
they can call us for help if they need to 24/7 and have information.  Some
people DON'T THINK of doing research and talking to owners of ferrets or
gathering information before they get that pet.  We have had some people
drop their ferret off after having it for several years, stay as long as it
takes to fill out the papers then leave(about 5 min.).  Makes you wonder
how much they really loved their pet.  Unfortunately their will always be
those people that no matter what you do or how hard you try they just don't
get it.  Our Zeus was an abandon/lost/found ferret at the age of about six.
The people who had him sure gave up one hell of a ferret and don't have a
clue as to what their missing.  But maybe they didn't have a clue to begin
with.  The one bright spot in all this - the fuzzies have people like you
and many others on the F.M.L. they can turn to and count on for help,
caring, and lots of love no matter what.
 
Kathy and the Ferret Collective - Our Pets For Life
[Posted in FML issue 3066]