This is my first entry on AOL and I want to thank all of you for such
fascinating and informative evening reading.  Almost two years ago my
daughter came home from college for the summer, toting a strange looking littl
e animal named Riley.  At first I kept my distance, but within 24 hours Riley
had won his grandma's heart.  After spending the summer in a real house with
roaming room, we thought it too cruel to confine him to a dorm in Pittsburgh,
so Grandma agreed to keep him, and I added three more over the past 1-1/2
years (Murphy, Casey and Bailey).  A few months ago a friend brought his 13
year old son over and the child fell in love with ferrets and "had to have
one".  So, dad caved in and bought him a baby named Taz.  After 3 months of
ownership, the little darling decided he'd "rather have a dog", so dad called
me and asked what to do.  I gave him a lecture on teaching certain values to
children, etc., and told him to put Taz in the car and bring him to me.  I'm
always available in my area for "ferret-sitting", and Taz had been to the
house a few times prior.  Well, at first he just played with his buddies, I
guess figuring his family would come pick him up soon.  After a few days, he
began to shy away from me, running as I entered the room.  After hours of
sitting on the floor and reassuring him that I was his new mom and I would
always love him he finally came around, and now he's just as affectionate as
my other four, although without an Irish name, but that makes him even more
special.  Just a warning, as I was reading about kids and pets in general,
that this kind of thing happens all the time, and I find it disgraceful.  A
13 year old child should be aware of the word "commitment", but I guess not
around this neck of the woods.  I have also seen smaller children playing in
a rough manner with these wonderful little creatures, and I go ballistic.
 Anyway, I'm so glad you are all there.  I've learned a lot from all of you,
and it is so  great to know that there are others like me who are totally in
love with these fantastic babies.  Thanks for being there, Judi
[Posted in FML issue 1134]