Background: Only the second kit I ever sold.  I admit, I screwed up and
trusted someone.  Lady was a former breeder (had not bred in 10 years) from
another state, who moved here and missed ferrets.  Very nice, we became
quasi-friends.  She adopts Timon.  We had gone over my contract and terms
etc, but the day she wanted to take him home, I was all out.  So I trusted
her to come back and sign them later.
 
We stay in touch, I babysit him a couple of times, all is well.  She takes
wonderful care of him, he looks wonderful, healthy and very happy and well
loved.
 
Fast foward to last week: She calls, her husband left her, she lost
everything, working 70 hour weeks and is having to move to public housing
and must give him up.  I offer to hold him for a few months to give her a
chance to find a new place to live, get on her feet etc since I know how
much she loves him.  Last night she calls, says she wants to sell him to
get her money back.  i quickly point out that is against my terms of the
contract.  She very quickly points out that she never came and signed the
contract so she can do what she wants.  She decides to bring him to me to
hold while SHE decides whether or not SHE will sell him.  I think "okay,
this is good, at least I will have him here and THEN deal with the legal
issues".
 
First of all, I DO have records showing he was born here and belonged to
me, and if she has no contract then how can she prove he was ever hers and
not mine??  (yes she paid cash)
 
Second, she was well aware of the terms and agreed to them, thats a verbal
contract.  I have a "postdated" contract ready to go for her to sign.
 
Anyways, she brings him over tonight and this is not even the same ferret
I saw just 5 months ago, I am so upset I could punch someone.  he looks
HORRIBLE!!!  He has a patch of fur missing, his coat is short, coarse and
rough (he has angora in his line and always had a long soft coat), he is
THIN, very thin, borderline malnurished, he looks drawn and sucken in.  he
acts afraid and timid, which he never has when I babysat him before.
 
I am disgusted and furious, and yes, realized I just learned a very
important lesson about *trusting friends versus getting a signed contract*.
I have pics of him I took 6 months ago when I babysat him and I took new
ones tonight, almost cried when I saw the difference in print.  I am also
taking him to the vte in the morning for a checkup and to get validation
on his condition.
 
She is coming over Saturday to (supposedly) sign the contract and draw up
a contract of her *rights* to reclaim or sell him.  Personally I think I
should get her to sign the contract and then point out that she has
violated several of my policies and endangered the animal, which according
TO the contract, I have now repossesed him, now hit the door lady.
 
So guys... what would you do???
[Posted in FML issue 2993]