Periodically in every shelter Mom's life, events conspire to push
her to her (or his) limits. At some point I think we have all said to
ourselves through tears, I can't do this anymore, it hurts too much.
Well for me, it was two separate incidents a week apart.
Last week I got a call from a friend who is a vet tech at a clinic
which probably should not be seeing ferrets. But some doctors, human
and otherwise excel in the ego classes they took somewhere along the
way and won't admit their short comings. My friend works for one of
those. She called and asked me to bring some ferret soup as she had
ferrets in her care at the clinic who were not eating, the vet was
gone for the day. It took me 4 hours to make soup and get it to her.
I had none 'extra' so it was run to the grocery store, cook, grind,
blend and bottle then deliver. When I got to the clinic, I did as I do
when no one else is in, made myself at home and started helping her
with her 'chores', which in this case meant try to get some food into
the ferrets.
One was a big silver boy who was in obvious trouble, and in lots of
pain. I did what I could, she was doing what she could, but we both
knew it would not be enough. That poor baby died in the night, alone,
in pain, and his face still haunts me.
Today I got a call from someone who wanted to donate some really large
cages. I drive a 3/4 ton diesel pick up truck. When people tell me they
have a really large cage, I plan on it taking up most of the bed of the
truck. What I got were two, small - medium cages, both about 2 1/2 x 3,
single story rabbit cages, including the hutch with one. Okay, that's
fine, I know other folks and shelters who can use them and am always
thankful to get 'stuff'. I was invited up to meet the ferrets.
Sighhhhhhhh. Four ferrets, three large boys and a little girl in a
single story cage, on wheels, about 18 x 30 inches. In it are one of
the large balls we hook our tunnels and tubes to, a corner litter box
with 'pudding' poops piled up about 5 inches, almost no litter in the
box, none clean and the corner box is too small for the boys anyway,
a water bottle and a food bowl with about a 1/4 inch of cheap food
w/ferretone on it so the ferrets to eat it. Oh wait, it gets worse.
The owner has just painted this room, all four walls, floor to ceiling.
When I ask about rolling the cage out into another room, he says he's
been opening a window for them, and he cracks open the window about 4
inches. It was 110 degress here today so you know how long that window
is going to stay open and how much good it's going to do anyway. I
point out the cage is on wheels, and easy to move. No go. I ask how
much time the ferrets get out of their cage and am told he 'tries' to
get them out for about an hour twice a day. The albino boy is so thin I
can easily feel his shoulders, hips and ribs. I offer a larger cage for
free and when he says he moved them out of one of the ones in the back
of my truck because they seemed 'happier' in the little cage, I try to
carefully explain the cage the are in is totally inadequate in so many
ways and why, and how their respiration rate is so much faster than
ours and how the paint fumes can hurt them....if I make him angry I
know the ferrets will pay with still more neglect......he thanks me and
politely lets me know he has to run. It's time for him to take his dog
down to the dog park 15 minutes away and let him play. There is one,
small hammock in that cage, the ferrets are sleeping on the linoleum
in the ball. Four more faces to haunt me and I just don't know that I
can do this anymore.
I come home, my kids hear the TV come on, and the trek to the kitchen
and this evening's medicines and soup begins. I pick up each one, big
boys and little girls and tell them they don't know how lucky they
truly are as my heart aches for the 5 I can't help and I hug each one
who will put up with 'mush' from Mom in between tears.
Nv. law requires our pets only have food, water, and shelter. That's
all. I've already gone heads up with the vet involved to no avail and
I can't endanger my friends job. Who will call me when some other kid
needs soup?
So FurPeople, hug your humans tonight and tell them you love them.
Thank them for the warm blanket, good food, and the love they lavish
on you. Say a ferret prayer for your brothers and sisters who are not
as lucky. Sometimes it's all any of us can do.
Brenda, Momma to the FurpeopleWeyr
http://pages.prodigy.net/furpeopleweyr/index.html
[Posted in FML 6020]
|
