Hi, I just wanted to let everyone know that I was lucky enough to meet
these famous ferrets last Thursday, Nov. 26.  I am mainly writing because
Randy, the shelter mom, received a letter criticizing her for fighting to
keep these boys alive.  Well I have seen them both and let me tell you,
they're fighting right along with her.
 
Harley, who has lost an eye as a result of infection from a kick to the
head, is a fantastic ferret.  He is one of the most energetic ferrets I've
seen, despite partial blindness and deafness.  He was happy to greet me
and bounced all over the house, including the cupboards and the blue box.
Happy, Happy, Happy is all I can say.  Despite everything he has been
through he war dances on.  Unfortunately Randy says he's been losing weight
lately, and will require more tests.  I never would have known he was still
sick from his behavior.  What a little sweetie.
 
Bandit is another poor little guy who was turned in to the shelter by an
owner who had obviously neglected him.  He has been diagnosed with a rare
form of skin cancer, that had obviously been progressing for some time.
This disease has caused his feet to swell like little balloons.  All the
fur is gone from them, and his ears are red and sore looking too.  Despite
this, he is still a ferret.  When we let him out he explored the whole
room, checked out the tubes and had a big drink and splash in the water
bowl.  Unfortunately, because his owner let the disease progress this far
without treatment, Bandit's cancer is terminal, short of a miracle.  He
does seem to be getting a new coat in my opinion, and has a nice big cage,
with soft clean flannel blankies.  It sickens me to think of someone
watching what was so obviously happening to him and doing nothing; dumping
him on someone else to die when he needed love the most.  Though he is not
well, he still has some quality of life left, and I believe Randy will do
whatever needs to be done, including holding him when his pain is too great
to go on, so he doesn't have to die alone.
 
Before you criticize others do a little research.  Look into things for
yourself.  If you had seen these ferrets, you would know their lives are
not being prolonged because of vanity or human weakness.  They want to
live, and thanks to the Ferret Aid Society of Toronto, and all it's helpers
they can.
 
Thankyou also to Randy for taking in my backyard boy (rescue) knowing he
had health problems.
 
Lara with Smokey and Chaos (rescues) Baby (CDC) and Phantom(Adopted).
Missing Tigger(CDC) and Fredo(adopted).
[Posted in FML issue 2509]