Dooks to everyone!

Candace who wrote the ferret pamphlet for newbie's, definitely deserves
kudos for writing it!  I met Candace a year ago, when I moved to
Saskatchewan.  The way we met was me trying to be the ferret police at
a pet store that she worked at.  As most of you know, I travel a lot
with my work, and when I get to a new place, one of the first things I
do is check out the pet stores and make sure they are looking after the
ferrets correctly.  This particular pet store that Candace worked at
had an enclosure  that was not very good for ferrets.  They had
woodchips for bedding, just a couple of toys, no hammys, needless to
say I freaked! There was also one little panda who I knew immediately
was deaf, and in not so good shape. I told a worker that the little
panda needed supportive care, (duck soup) as he was way too thin.

 This worker told me that a lady that worked there had 9 ferrets and she
had been trying to get the store to change their practices and they
wouldn't.  I asked for her name and came back on a day they said she
would be working.  I went back and met Candace, who was a really
wonderful person, who was trying very hard to get this store to change
its practices.   We also talked about the little deaf fuzzie and
Candace was starting him on a duck soup of sorts. I told her that I
would try to find a home for him, but that I also would be coming into
check on the little guy.  I also told her that I would contact the Pet
Advocate for that store in the Head Office for that Chain and see what
I could do about the enclosure and talk to them about the little deaf
guy.  I can be a very persuasive talker and after a short while managed
to convince the Pet Advocate to change the enclosure so it would be
friendlier for the ferrets.  They agreed after some not so gentle
prodding, and cleaned out the wood chips, put in bedding, toys and nice
litterbox for them.  I also told the Pet Advocate that they were very
lucky to have someone like Candace working for them, so they could draw
from her extensive knowledge on the care of ferrets.  In the end, the
little deaf fellow continued to go downhill, and I had made up my mind
that when I back on the Saturday to check up on him, that if he wasn't
any better, I was going to ask to hold him, and then walk out with him,
and God help anyone who tried to stop me. When I arrived there, I saw
that he was gone, and asked what had happened to him.  The worker I
talked to said that Candace had purchased him and taken him home,
because she couldn't stand it anymore.  This little guy was close to
dying, and weak.  Candace fed this little guy and he gained enough
weight within the first couple of days that he looked so much better. 
She named him Gossamer, and he became just this roly poly big puddle
of love!  I always love to see him when I go to her place and can't
believe he used to be that sickly little fert that I was going to walk
out with.  Candace is Gossamer's real live angel.

Candace and I have become friends and I have been lucky enough to be
invited to her home to visit with her and her ferrets.  I can tell you
that she is one of the best ferret moms I have ever seen, and I'm
proud to know her. Candace has been involved in numerous rescues
in Saskatchewan, and is always looking out for our furry friend's
well-being.  Thank you Candace for being a wonderful, caring advocate
for ferrets.  Thank you for trying to educate the public about ferrets
and their care. And thank goodness there are people out there like you
who do what they can to improve the life of ferrets everywhere.

Kate

[Posted in FML 5396]