This another one of those ferret bite stories.  After reading this, please
make sure all your ferrets have their shots and that you have their papers
handy!
 
A call was received in the evening from a nice young lady who had found a
ferret.  She said it had been hanging around with the family across the
street as tho it was getting attention.  She had been referred to me by a
local pet store (it pays to make sure your local pet store has a local
ferret club number).  I couldn't make arrangements to get the ferret that
evening so asked the young lady if she was comfortable taking care of the
ferret, and understand its needs.  She had gathered quite a lot of
information in a short amount of time thru pet stores and ferret club
references and felt that she could hold the ferret overnight.  The ferret
was to reside in her bathroom as she had some kittens that we felt should
not be exposed to the ferret at this time.
 
The next day I receive a call from the same lady asking for advice.  It
seems her son had played with the ferret with a neighbor boy.  The neighbor
boy had been bitten and the grandmother was upset and called Animal Control.
Not comfortable with the shelter and animal control stories I heard I asked
her if she wanted me to get the ferret right away, or did she want to turn
it over to animal control to appease the neighbor.  I told her about the
rabies studies, that the ferret wouldn't pass rabies to the child, told her
that animal control might destroy the ferret despite our best efforts, or it
might be shipped out of state away from the owners that we were looking for
and would hopefully find when posters went up.  I tried to keep an open
mind and view all options available to her.  She said she would get in
touch with me.
 
I check messages on answering machine.  Someone else has lost a ferret in
that area.  I call them, take their information, and tell them I would get
back to them, that I thought I knew where their ferret was.  I call back the
lady who found the ferret.  Mass confusion has ensued.  Animal control tried
to come get the ferret at the same time someone came to take the ferret to
another place until the owners could be found.  Neighbor saw ferret go in a
cage with someone down the street while animal control was knocking on the
door to the house.
 
Neighbor is quit upset now that animal control can't have ferret.  Neighbor
is mad at lady who found ferret because she didn't turn over ferret to
animal control.  Lady who found ferret is in a pickle with neighbor, just
because she found a ferret and tried to return it home.  As far as I and the
lady who found the ferret know, we don't know who it was who got the ferret
or where it is.  Those who have it probably won't tell either.
 
I've since called the neighbor and explained about the rabies studies on
ferrets, and am waiting for a call back.  It is probable that I know who the
owners are, however they can't provide proof of shots right away because
they just moved to CA from Nebraska and need to contact their vet there.
 
What went wrong?  What went right?  If you had been in the founders
situation, what would you have done?  Seems when you try to do what you
think is right, you end up in hot water.
 
Please make sure you can prove immediately that your ferrets have shots, and
get the rabies information being passed away that says ferrets don't shed
the rabies virus.  It may save a ferret life, or at lease prvent a war with
the neighbors.
 
Upset in CA
[Posted in FML issue 1606]