I don't know about the rest of you, but I had a terrible time sleeping last
night.  I can't begin to express my sympathy for Jean and her poor furries.
I dropped some cash in the mail yesterday (I know, not the safest thing, but
I figured she needed it quickly to purchase medical supplies).  As I was
laying awake last night, I thought of something else that might help.
 
Several years ago I was president of a local club.  We bought a bunch of
fabric and made ferret sacks which could be worn with a strap like a purse
or slipped onto your belt loop.  They are deep enough that most ferrets just
snuggle up in the bottom and don't jump out.  They are also wonderful just
for laying on the floor or in cages for bedding.  They are printed fabric on
the outside and various fuzzy-type fabrics on the inside.
 
I have several of these already made up, and quite a few (probably at least
20) cut out ready to sew.  I've been meaning to pass them on to some of my
old ferret friends, but somehow I've never gotten around to it.  Is there
anyone out there who has the time to sew these sacks and sell them to raise
some money for Jean?  Or, if you are a shelter, split the profit between
your shelter and her?
 
If you have time to sew and/or market these please send email to
[log in to unmask]
 
They look something like this, with the "(" and ")" lines being open (where
the belt/strap goes through/ferrets enter):
 
        ___
       )     (
     )         (
   )            (
 |                |
 |                |
 |                |
 |                |
 |                |
 -----------------
 
I know we can't begin to put a monetary figure on Jean's loss, but maybe
that would make some of the police/government types sit up and take notice.
When a racehorse is involved the FBI even gets involved, I assume because of
the money involved.  By my calculations, given that a pet store ferret costs
~$130, the losses must be well over $10,000.  And a breeding ferret must be
worth more than a pet store ferret.  Can anyone do a better job of
estimating that figure?  Again, I'm not trying to put a price tag on these
precious lives, they are priceless, we all know that.  I just wonder if it
would make a good argument to bring some justice to the heartless individual
that did this.
 
- Nancy
 
-----
Nancy L. Stephens
 
[log in to unmask]
Senior Systems Analyst
TCIM Services, Inc.
[Posted in FML issue 2145]