On Wed Oct 21, the Bartok residence in Sullivan Ohio was raided by the
Ashland and Richland County sheriff and animal wardens after complaints of
animal neglect and abuse.
 
There were 47 dogs, 17 cats, rabbits, pigs, ponies, a horse, goats, a bull,
geese, a silver fox, a ferret, a raccoon, a snapping turtle and a white rat
found on the 7 acre property. The animals seemed to have adequate food, but
many were without water, and some appeared injured or ill.
 
Neighbors complained of the smell and noise and that they saw loose dogs
harassing the livestock (the bull had open wounds on its face). One dog had
a maggot infested wound on its leg.
 
The livestock were left on the propery, but the rest of the animals were
taken to the Ashland County Humane Society.
 
I was finally able to get a hold of them today, after several days of trying
with only busy signals or no answer. Good thing I was persistent--they
obviously have no experience with ferrets and were feeding it rabbit food
and grains! Someone did know to give it (they don't know if it's a boy or
girl) a litter box which it uses. The ferret did not seem ill (it would be
if they kept feeding it that stuff!), but did have some kind of growth on
its head.
 
Anyway, the woman I spoke to was very glad to get some info on how to
properly care for it, and even more thrilled when I offered to take it.
She said we would have to wait until the legal issues were resolved before
they could release it to me.  She couldn't say just what needed to happen
or how long it would take, but the couple was charged earlier this week.
 
In the meantime, I urged her to feed the ferret kitten or cat food
(mentioned it twice!) and to have a vet look at the growth. Told her it was
most likely a benign mast cell tumor that could be easily removed.
 
I'm going to ask if they'll let me see the ferret, bring some appropriate
food and bedding and so on.
 
Linda Iroff
Raisin Retreat Ferret Shelter
Oberlin, OH
http://www.oberlin.edu/~liroff/ncfs.html
[Posted in FML issue 2476]