I am sure many of you will find this story I am about to relate very
interesting.
 
We got a call this past Saturday from our local SPCA letting us know that
they had a ferret in their animal shelter that was deemed to be unadoptable
to the general public.  Our name is on a special list (we're known as the
"ferret people") just for things like this.  We hadn't heard from them in
years.
 
This ferret was described as a 3 year old MND, black and tan, who had come
in on the 12th of June.  His file stated that he was "acting like a ferret"
but biting all those that were cleaning his cage.  He was scheduled to be
euthanized on June 22nd, unless he could be adopted out by somebody who had
experience with biters, like my husband and me.  When the girl from the
shelter called me, it was already the 24th, so someone had already given
this fellow an extension on life.  I booked an appointment for the 27th,
and his execution date was rescheduled for the 28th.
 
We looked at him this evening, and needless to say, he is in our home as I
speak.  Or should I say, SHE is here with us now.  This so called biter is
probably younger than 3 and in excellent shape.  Her coat is soft and full,
and her teeth are very clean.  Her eyes are bright and her face is full of
life.  She would not stop bouncing around once we got her in her new room.
The only thing that I could find out of sorts was that she is missing her
claws on all the toes on her back feet, save the outer ones on either side.
It looks like a birth defect, as declawing would have been performed on the
front feet instead.
 
As for her biting problem.... all we see is a big girl with energy to boot.
She has yet to bite us.... if she was biting, she was obviously feeling the
stress of the shelter.
 
Shamefully, this situation has happened before.  Fortunately, the SPCA
knows us, and we have a history of ferret adoption with them.  I feel that,
had we not had this history, the outcome may have been more tragic.
 
I have brought this issue forth to the Director of our ferret society, who
already has a meeting date scheduled with the SPCA's Director to discuss
things just like this.  Our goal is to get the SPCA to surrender all the
ferrets they receive to us.  I feel very confident that an arrangement like
this can be made.
 
Or at least one where ferrets will no longer be euthanized unnecessarily.
 
Wish us luck...
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the Love of Ferrets...
[Posted in FML issue 3096]