I always said that I would never buy a ferret from a pet shop...... My
daughters love to go to pet shops. I just wish they sold supplies and
not pets. Once when we were in a pet shop I saw a cage of ferrets. One
of the ferrets, a little female, kept coming to me wanting attention.
She was a strange looking ferret, short and squad with strange colored
fur. The other ferrets in the cage ignored me. The cage was plain with
no blankets, no toys....nothing. I left the store without her and kept
saying to myself that would never buy a pet shop ferret because there
were too many shelter ferrets needing homes. A few weeks later I lost
my Max who I dearly loved. He came from the Oregon Ferret Shelter and
was only with me a short time. He was an older ferret and not in good
health. He loved being held for hours so we spent a lot of time
together. He was truly a special guy. Shortly after losing him our
neighbor passed away from cancer. He was in his 40's and left behind
a 10 year old son. We had been helping him, taking over meals and
watching his son nearly every day. His death was so sad. His funeral
was held on my birthday. I told my family I just couldn't celebrate on
that day but my husband gave me a card with some money in it any ways.
After the funeral and on the way home my husband turned into the pet
shop trying to cheer us all up, knowing that our daughters loved going
there. I went in reluctantly. The owner was cleaning the ferret cage
and there was that same funny looking ferret still there after months
in that cage. The pet shop owner handed her to me asking if I would
hold her while she finished the cage. This little funny looking ferret
snuggled under my chin and rested her head on my shoulder. She let
out a deep sigh. Suddenly all the pain that I had suffered for weeks,
losing my dear Max and then the terrible death of our neighbor, came
crashing down on me and I burst into tears. The ferret never moved and
I stood there holding her and crying my heart out. My daughters each
came to me, hugged me and wandered off. The ferret never moved. I told
the pet shop owner that I had just been to a funeral and after telling
me how sorry she was, tried to take the ferret to put her back into
the cage. She clung to me. The woman said that she had been there for
months and nobody ever wanted her. Lots of other ferrets had come and
gone but she remained. She then told me that if I wanted her she would
sell her at a discount. I had a decision to make. It only took a
second. I went to the car and got the birthday card that my husband
had given me. Inside was the exact amount the woman had asked for the
ferret. So that is how Maxine, a funny looking little squat ferret came
to live with me. She's still funny looking, waddles not walks and loves
to be held just like my Max. We both had received what we needed....she
got a home and I got a patch on my wounded heart.

Nancy, not a shelter mom but in awe of them every day for all that they
do for ferrets.

[Posted in FML 6238]