Tonight in my home lies a 10 week old kit.  Bought by a young couple
yesterday.  She should be in her new home dooking and dancing, and
exploring everything, but she is not.  She is lying in a cage after
being malled by a dog, and I don't know if she will ever be what a
ferret should be, or if she will even have a life.
 
She was introduced to the couple's dog.  The dog picked her up by the
head and shook her and threw her across the room.  A Dalmation.  A dog
they claim has been with the ferrets they had before, with no problem.
 
What may I ask is wrong with people's heads.  Don't they know a new
introduction into a home smells differant?  That a 10 week old baby
doesn't know enough to be afraid of anything ( not that any ferret is
ever afraid of much).  Frusrtration here very heavy today.  That maybe
this new ferret was a challange to the dogs, comfort and home, intruding
on the territory?  I don't blame the dog, the people are totaly at fault.
 
This is one time I am delighted to be a Rescue.  I at least have a say as
to this baby's fate.
 
Tomorrow I am taking this kit into the vet, to be checked.  Her horizon
seems to be lost right now.  Head head of course is cocked to one side,
and she has actualy literaly flipped over uncontrolably, while trying to
stand, which she can't do.
 
She has had bowel movements, and has an appitite.  She has been given a
small dose of pred.  twice today.  Well not know til tomorrow just how
bad off she is.  She did try to get to the litter box, of course the
moment I wasn't looking.  She seems to be a bit more THERE tonight.
 
I am asking for prayers for this little girl.  She is gonna need them,
and so am I as the descision as to her fate now lays with me.
 
As far as dogs and ferrets, always remember, a dog is a dog and they have
certain things in their nature, that seem to be tamed, but never truely
are.  Take the instance of the dog that was 14 years old.  The people
trusted that dog for those 14 years, to do as it was told.  One day the
dog didn't do what it was expected to do and ended up dead in the road.
 
An animal, is still an animal, and no matter how hard you try, instincts
can never truely, be breed out of that animal.
 
So my thought on the posts lately, about dogs and ferrets is, I would
always be aware that there is a chance the worst thing that can happen,
WILL.  A dog is a dog, a ferret is a ferret, a hooman, well there's just
no excuse for most of them.
 
REANEE GLADDEN
[Posted in FML issue 5099]