This is my first time posting on the list.  I have been receiving the FML
for several months, and like others that I know that receive the FML, I
usually skim through it and only read posts related to health & concerns
for my ferrets.  When I opened my 9/5 email of FML I was engrossed in Megan
Snyder's posting " A plea to those considering surrendering their elderly
ferrets." I guess I should start by introducing myself, I am owned by 3
fuzzies and currently & 1 cat.  Over the past 7 years I had 3 more ferrets
for a total of 6.  When I bought my first ferret I knew nothing about her
and neither did anybody else that I knew, including the pet store that I
bought her from, and all of the local vets.  I learned by spending time
watching my ferret to see what her likes & dislikes were & by seeking out
people who could educate me about them.  When my first ferret- Bella died
I had a hard time accepting it & decided that there would be no more new
ferrets, only the ones I currently owned, which was 3 at the time.  Then
a friend of mine who owned a pet store had an older ferret named Ben that
someone had brought back to her because they just didn't want it any
longer, it wasn't "cute" enough for their young daughter anymore.  So I
gave in and adopted him, he then became violently ill with ECE, and never
recovered.  Yet again I was crushed.  Then a year after that I heard about
a lady that had a ferret that was approximately 7 years old that had been
just sitting in the cage for the past year because her son went to college
and just didn't want it anymore.  As soon as I saw this poor old girl I
took her home.  When my vet (who I drive at least 60 miles to see) checked
her over he discovered several lumps,as well as swollen lymph nodes, he ran
several tests and the conclusion was lymphoma.  She lived comfortably for
at least a year after I took her home and she became the best little ferret
I have ever known.  She was my little angel and her name was Perry.  I
thank God that this little angel was brought to me, and I know that the
last year of Perry's life was filled with more love then any of the other 7
years of her life.  Thank you Megan for your post, I am glad that there are
others out there who care for other people's cast offs.  I wish that every
person would be as responsible and caring as you.  I take comfort in the
fact that my Bella,Perry and Ben are at the rainbow bridge together and
probably play with your Pippen everyday and wait for us someday to join
them.
 
Best wishes to you and your fuzzies,
 
Liz, and of course Bullwinkle, Fievel and Sabrina
[Posted in FML issue 3532]