Hi Everyone-
Well I had quite an outpouring of support from a LOT of people on the list.
I almost achieved nothing at work today because I was too busy reading
email! Thank you so much.
Here is a summary of the suggestions I received and I will tell you what I
did. Suggestions:
1. Talk to the guy, ask him if he wants to give up the ferret for adoption.
If not, try to educate him on ferret stuff.
2. Call the ASPCA, HSUS, Police, ferret shelters, etc. They would
confiscate the ferret from this guy.
3. Steal the ferret to save its life.
I just have to elaborate on why #3 was not possible - he lives on the third
floor and it is VERY obvious to see someone climbing up, risking life and
limb, then falling down with a ferret stuffed in her shirt! The logistics
just don't work.
I didn't want to rush into #2 because I didn't know this guy's
circumstances. He seemed to be pretty decent when I met him before, and
I didn't want to sic the authorities right onto him.
So, here is what I did. I thought about what I would say to him and how I
would knock on his door as a stranger and strike up a conversation. I sat
down at my sewing machine and made a quick Double Sherpa lined sleeper
sack. The least I could get, the guy would thank me, put the sleeper sack
in the cage to supplement the hanging ferret hut and have a place to burrow
and be warm.
Well, I broke a sewing machine needle and everything trying to get this
thing done at a decent hour. At 9:50pm I worked up enough courage to walk
over, knock on his door and introduce myself. I said I couldn't help but
notice he has a ferret and that I was making these sleeper sacks for mine
and thought his might like one. He was thrilled! He said he loves his
ferret and has had ferrest for a long time. She is actually his second
one. He thought it was so sweet for me to think of him and he rarely finds
people that own ferrets since they are a "rare" pet. I told him that I
didn't know if she had anything like that and he said that he bought her
a hammock that she loves and wanted to know how old mine were. I told him
2 years and that I have met people that own ferrets and then they tell me
they don't want to keep them anymore and he said, "oh no! How could they
give them up?!" And I said I know...and I asked him if he brings his in for
the winter and he said oh yes. He actually has a space heater out there
that I didn't see. *phew* So, he was so glad to meet me and we shook hands
and he thanked me so much for the ferret sleeper sack. I watched him go
out on his deck, put the sleeper sack inside the cage and drag the cage
inside.
It just goes to show me not to jump to all the conclusions. Perhaps not a
case of neglect after all, just a lack of knowledge or a momentary lapse of
judgment. The ferret has food, she has water, and she now haas a homemade
sleeper sack from her nosy neighbor.
I can sleep better tonight. Now, perhaps I can help educate this guy each
time I talk to him...
thanks everyone-
and I didn't even break my neck. ;)
-Stephanie, Chimi and Pepe
[Posted in FML issue 3224]
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