Ferrets require a good deal of commitment and responsibility. Many
people do not realize the care and commitment a ferret requires until
it is too late. They think they can simply let it loose once they
tire of it, or they think an animal shelter can provide it a home.
Our disposable society has created a new commodity: the disposable
ferret. Over the years the homeless ferret population has skyrocketed
due to the following reasons: lack of commitment on the part of the pet
owner, the belief that ferrets are disposable, the isconception that
ferret shelters can take care of all unwanted ferrets and overstocking
pet stores with baby ferrets for the uneducated pet buyer for the ease
of an impulse purchase.
People may buy a ferret for several reasons: They want company, they
want a cute baby ferret kit, it would be nice for the children, or
they get a ferret as a present. The novelty of a ferret quickly wears
off once the owner realizes the ferret requires commitment - food,
water, shots, time, medical care, and attention.
Once an owner doesn't want the ferret they may think they can simply
let it loose. Ferrets left in the street to fend for themselves have
a life expectancy of less than a week. They will die of starvation,
overexposure, be killed by another animal or get hit by a car. Ferrets
are domestic animals; they are used to being taken care of and their
survival instincts are poor. On their own, they are not able to
survive.
The truth is that for every twenty ferrets in need of a home, there
is only one person willing to adopt. The rest will be sent to animal
shelters and will ultimately be destroyed. Because of the overcrowding
at local animal shelters and because most have no clue how to care
properly for a ferret, ferrets that are brought in are usually
destroyed. This has lead to home based ferret shelters.
The biggest problem with home based ferret shelters is that the shelter
moms and dads are human. They all at one time or another get sick,
tired (or sick and tired), burned out, or have families issues to deal
with. Sometimes it's just getting older. In reality they are all only
one illness, family crisis or accident away from becoming a headline.
How many ferrets does your local ferret shelter have? How many dead
ones are in their freezer waiting for the spring thaw to be buried or
to have enough to take a bulk amount to the local crematorium? How many
shelters are run by just one person? What happens if that person is in
an accident on the way home or breaks a leg or gets cancer?
Replace the word shelter above for ferretry and shelter operator to
ferret breeder. Replace shelter with ferret owner with many ferrets.
How close are you to becoming a headline???
Ferret owners, breeders and shelter operators need to keep in touch
with each other. Everyone needs to have a plan and that plan needs to
be kept up to date. Planning for the unexpected will help to keep you
from becoming the next headline.
Vickie McKimmey
Just a Business of Ferrets
www.jbferret.com
American Ferret Association
Director of Shows and Special Events
www.ferret.org
Author of Ferrets: An Animal Planet Pet Care Library Series Book
[Posted in FML 5872]
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