Love is being true to the one you love, forever.  If you truly love
someone, you want them to be happy even if it means you don't get what you
want right now.  Ferrets can't understand new family additions (whether
human or another type of animal), why they are being displaced or removed.
 
Late last year I made the decision to euthanize my 14 yr old Sunny dog
because his body had failed to support him any longer.  Shortly after his
12yr old companion went through separation anxiety and destroyed my
bathroom door and cabinets.  She was placed in a loving home with other
dogs and is very happy and doted upon.  My alternative was to get another
dog for her but I knew I was stretched to my limits as it was and as much
as I really really want a white shepherd puppy I knew it would be unfair to
the puppy and the ferrets.  I could not devote the time and energy needed
for training a puppy and the ferrets need not put up with my stress because
of it.  It would be the puppy that would cause an additional energy drain,
not the ferrets.
 
I choose not to get a puppy, even though the ferrets adore dogs, and I do
too, especially white shepherds, because it was best for us all.
 
Sometimes we have to make certain sacrifices, such as not doing something
that we really want to do because it would harm the ones we love and those
who are an integral part of our family.
 
Even though ferrets may not show their emotions in a way one may be use to
seeing in other animals, their little beings are filled with overwhelming
emotions.  How could they not be and still dance the dance of joy as
they do?
 
I've seen severe depression, and even death, result because of a
human-ferret or ferret-ferret separation.  There is no amount of love that
can readily replace the true love of a bonded group, whether it be ferret
to ferret or ferret to human.
 
Please, before you make a life decision that may cause extreme emotional
distress to your companions, think it through.  If you still decide to go
with what you want, accept the consequence that you may very well condemn
your ferret to a remaining life of sadness, fear, or cruelty.  Nothing is
quaranteed.  You need to make a decision that will not haunt you in the
future.
 
Hugs to all. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3525]