I'm very sorry that I've been so quiet about this story, it could not
be helped and I'm not sure when I can be active and help. I'm going to
aim to do so this week. I have a LOT to say if you can imagine. Home
and family issues have my hands tied up right now and I can't "today".
I promise to try because as you know the subject of service ferrets is
very close to my heart.

Just a very brief summary for you. For new FML'ers, I am Sean and
Rocky's mom, one of the ferret worlds most high profile cases regarding
service ferrets. My autistic son, Sean, and his ferret, Rocky have been
featured in three books, was considered for People's magazine, has been
in several magazines in Japan, and has been on the cover of Modern
Ferret years ago. We were also invited onto the Montel Williams show
that was to feature various "miracle animal stories" one Christmas,
however other current events came up that interested him more and that
show was canceled. My son was moderately-severely autistic and nearly
mute during his pre-school years. He was extremely violent and could
not be trusted around babies and animals. Even goldfish and plants
were not safe around my son. We had to sit in distant corners of
pediatrician offices because once he was so out of control, he actually
slapped a tiny baby on the face that was in a carrier at it's mothers
feet sitting next to us. It was horrible. Eventually Sean did react
very well to a large Golden Retriever, named Butch, who lived at his
grandmothers house. But we could not own a dog ourselves due to my
allergies. Besides, that was the only dog he bonded with anyway.
Because of that, I at least had hope of once again enjoying the
presence of pets in my home. I saw slight improvements in Sean after
he met Butch. Our life was incredibly empty without the company of
animals. I can't tell you how much so. It was already bad enough that
we could not longer have music in the home, nor travel. I couldn't even
move my furniture to break the suffocating monotony. I was stuck at
home, 24/7, within a prison. For however difficult it was for us, it
was more difficult for Sean who cried quite often and was overcome
with anxiety and rage. Those were very, very dark years. I adore my
son and autism is not always dark. It can also be a beautiful place.
But, the walls around my son prevented me from the physical and
emotional contact I wanted. My normal son was trapped in an abnormal
life. My hubby and I have always been ferret people. Poor Scott, he
worked day and night only to come home to chaos. We only had a few
friends during that time, understandably, and family lived across the
country (which was fine by me as they were some of the least supportive
people 15 years ago). Scott's birthday was coming up. We lived in a
poor neighborhood and one day a random bullet fired through my
children's window 3 foot from Sean's head as it lay on the bed. I had
enough. Life is too short. 80% of all fathers fled families of autistic
children back then. My hubby stayed and GLADLY stayed without ever
complaining. With pride and gratitude and guilt brimming over, I bought
him a set of baby ferrets ... brothers. Prepared to build a cage around
the cage, I came home to a shocking surprise. Sean was not only "okay",
but reacted in the most positive ways to the little magical creatures.
Things took off from there and if you like, you are free to read his
story that is still online today.
http://www.modernferret.com/mfm029/index.html
They're website: http://www.wolfysluv.com/sean.html
Sean "needed" Rocky around him to succeed. He struggled to just go
to the local Kmart (one of his fav places). But, if Rocky was in his
arms ... there were no tantrums and crying. He was also more verbal and
outgoing. Most importantly, people were drawn to the tiny animal and
approached Sean, giving him some limited social practice. So it began.
Little Rocky went everywhere with Sean that he was allowed. Including
school once a week. The other special needs children reacted so
strongly, that I began taking my deaf ferrets there for regular visits
along with Rocky. One of them especially enjoyed the contact there and
reacted stunningly appropriately to children with various conditions.
He climbed into the laps of the more withdrawn kids. He was quite and
still around the kids with sensory issues. And so on. We had some
amazing years while those ferrets were alive. I have saved many little
stories I wrote about the children who stood out most over the years.
Rocky is gone now. But I hope that his legacy lives on. I hope that the
last chapter will NEVER be written. Of course it won't be for Sean. But
I mean for others.

It would be easy to think that these two had something spiritual and
unique. But as Dr McNichols in Britain can attest ... it wasn't all
that miraculous at all. She has utilized ferrets in therapy in England
before. I also found a studies about ferrets used in therapy very
successfully. One study demonstrated that autistic children reacted the
least to humans, and the most to ferrets. Various animals were tested
and the dog was actually the least positively reacted to of all the
animals. Apparently there is too much sensory overload with them. Dogs
are very needy, they are big, loud, they lick you, they jump on you,
and they have a strong smell. They are hugely social and physical.
Well .. like humans right? Anyway, I just thought of another thing. I
read about a program in Europe or England where ferrets were regularly
used in teaching blind children spatial skills. That was fascinating.
Like I said, I saw some real promise there in many classrooms over
the years with special needs children. I didn't just visit either. I
learned from an specialists how to write and act out social stories
with the ferrets to open up the children to proper self help skills,
social skills, and so on. I know that some of what I taught did
generalize over to the classroom. I don't know about home and outside
the school. My "therapy" pets aged and have since died off. I don't
visit places anymore. I have one fellow that would be a great therapy
animal. But I guess I haven't the time anymore. And Sean is going
through a phase where he isn't interested in "that world". It's a
shame, because I've been told by specialists that he's an awesome role
model to other autistics!! And his Pharos could really help. Maybe one
day, ya know?

Oh, this was a yes/no question that Sukie asked me wasn't it? Sorry.
Had a Wolfy moment ... er hour. No, Sukie, I've never run into ferrets
that have alerted anyone to seizuers, cardiac episodes, or the like.
I've only noticed personally that my own ferrets definately know
when someone is ill, even if just with a headache and they act very
uncharacteristically. But that's all I've experienced personally.

[Posted in FML 6048]