Greetings one and all.  What follows is a compilation of my thoughts and
opinions on the sad event affecting Ben, Jeremy, and Jackie Hawley.  I will
tell you up front that I am a friend of Jackie's, but that I will make
every effort here to be as objective as possible.  But I'm only human.
 
What I want to focus on is the motive for the taking of Ben and Jeremy.
After all, if the motive is reasonable, there's nothing to complain about.
It is well known that Jackie is a competent ferret owner/caretaker and
shelter operator, and that she deeply loves ferrets.  It is known that both
Ben and Jeremy have NOT been abused by Jackie in any way.  Take a look at
the photo links of Ben posted by Sam via yesterday's FML (thank you, Sam!).
I think it's safe to say that abuse is not the motive here.  How about you?
 
Could the motive be that Barbara Ludt just missed them so much that she
couldn't stand it any more?  Not likely.  Jackie's had Ben since January 19
2000, and Jeremy since September 23 1999.  Why so long before "deciding" to
want them.  BTW, Jeremy has never set paw or tail in Barbara's house until
now.  Barbara took him to Jackie directly from Animal Control.  Barbara
didn't even ask about Jeremy until that following May.  Now a year later
she wants him?  Sure took a long time to become heartsick from separation.
I think it's safe to say that missing them is not the motive here.  How
about you?
 
But wait!  What if that WAS the motive?  That would imply that Jackie is
cold-hearted and selfish, wanting to keep them for herself.  No, that's not
Jackie Hawley.  It's the love that she--like we--develop for these little
ones.  There is a bonding that takes place by both human and ferret.  Mix
in the special needs of Ben and you have a pretty ironclad relationship.
You understand that, don't you?  You love your ferrets, right?  You've read
the countless FML posts about bonding, not separating pairs, the effects on
ferrets that are given up/abandoned, etc.  What do most of the posts say?
What do the shelter operators say?  Why do shelter operators get angry over
give-ups?  They, if anyone, certainly understand the impact of uprooting a
ferret from it's LOVING home.  These people tend to get really upset over
all the STUPID reasons--mostly excuses--that owners come up with.  Am I
right?  Jackie, and Ben and Jeremy have bonded with each other.  Why should
she break that bond?  Why would someone want that bond broken?  Yes,
shelter operators certainly understand and put the ferrets' needs first.
 
Next question: Isn't Barbara Ludt a shelter operator?
 
So, that rules out rescue from abuse and being heartbroken from missing Ben
and Jeremy.  What other motives are there?  Money?  How could Barbara make
money off of them?  How about notoriety?  Many folks here know that Ben has
been in the public spotlight.  Many folks associate Ben with Jackie since
she'd been caring for him since January 19 2000.  Barbara was involved with
Ben in the beginning, but has not been a part of the "notoriety" imposed
upon Ben.  How about jealousy?  Now that's a little more plausible, in my
opinion.
 
There's one more: revenge.  It's known that Jackie and Barbara have had
their, shall I say, differences of late.  I'm not going to get into this
angle.  All I'm going to say is that I know enough about Barbara to believe
this to be a very possible motive.  Only those of you who know Barbara but
are not in control of her might see the possibility of revenge here.
 
In my opinion, this act was not done out of the interest or concern for Ben
and Jeremy, but due to some purely selfish need on Barbara's part.  But to
be fair, like the Killians said, let's hear what Barbara has to say--from
Barbara.  Just what was your reason for taking Ben and Jeremy from a loving
home where they received good care?  And while you're at it, tell us how
they're doing now.
 
Dennis
and the Twelve Troubles
[Posted in FML issue 3269]