Please note (if anyone cares...), that I'm using a new address:
[log in to unmask]
 
Hi there.  Sorry if this is long and a bit rambly (there's not always enough
time to write "short") Just wanted to let people know that I've been trying
to track down angora fuzzies in Seattle.  As the Oregon Ferret Association
has posted lately, someone brokered a number of angora ferrets (I've never
seen one myself but have read about them) in Oregon, Washington, and Texas a
couple months ago.  According to the OFA, some or all of the females in this
group were spayed by having the uterus only removed, and the ovaries left
in.  The females are now coming into heat.  At least one has died, and a few
others have had surgeries to try and complete the spay.  Others that may not
have been completely spayed are in danger of dying of aplastic anemia
(ferrets won't go out of heat on their on and, due to high level of
estrogen, will end up anemic).  The link seems to be the broker, but it is
difficult tracking where the ferrets ended up being distributed and by whom.
The link seems to be that they were purportedly angoras from Sweden, and
were being sold about the same time in Oregon and Washington, I think,
Texas.  I can say that I read the pet section of the classifieds regularly
and have never seen angoras before or since; and haven't seen or heard of
any in pet stores to date... except for an ad placed in Seattle around the
same times the angoras were brokered to Oregon.  The OFA is quite sure all
the angoras in Oregon and WA came from the same broker.
 
If anyone knows anyone who got angoras between mid-Oct.  to mid-Nov.  in the
Seattle area, please e-mail me ([log in to unmask]), and cc: Georgia (Percy
Pwood Georgia Wood <[log in to unmask]>) in Oregon, and Scott and Diane (
[log in to unmask]) in Spokane.  Since angora ferrets in these parts are
pretty rare -- so rare I've never seen one -- the timing of having angora
ferrets imported from Sweden all at once points to one breeder and broker.
 
A man was selling angora ferrets through the classified ads during this
above-mentioned time in Seattle.  I located the ad Monday and called him to
talk about the Oregon situation and see if he had gotten ferrets from the
same broker, but he was not interested in hearing what I had to say at all;
indeed, after I'd explained politely why I was calling he, apparently very
annoyed, said he didn't know what I wanted and was I wanting to breed
angoras?!  I was told I'd called his HOME number during a holiday - gasp
(but it was this Monday).  I pointed out that that was the number in the
classifieds, but he said he didn't care.  (I wanted to say it's not like I
don't have better things to do then try to track down the muck spewing from
people that traffic in animals -- and here, NOTE, I'm not claiming he's one
of them....) I'd better not go into detail, due to the inflammatory nature
of some people, but suffice to say I was eventually hung up on.  I
experienced little coherency in the conversation and felt no concern from
him.  He did tell me to fax facts, but hung up without giving a fax number,
and said (a few times during the conversation and just prior to hanging up
on me) not to call him again.  I was polite the whole time, even called him
sir, and assured him I wasn't accusing him of anything... but to no avail.
 
At the very least, I felt unprofessionally and rudely treated..
 
Oh, one more thing.  He also said that he was sure that if people got such
ferrets from him they would contact him... I didn't even have a chance to
say (HELLO!), that many people that get baby ferrets don't know squat about
the females being induced breeders; about what to look for as heat signs and
what to do if a female goes into heat... that many don't know that, if
action isn't taken, she'll die of aplastic anemia.
 
I'm worried the fuzzies he sold could be needing medical attention.  It sure
wouldn't hurt to hedge bets!  Any ideas?
 
The name listed with the phone number from the classified ad (in the US West
Telephone book) is Andy Koffman (though I don't know who answered the
phone); according to the zip code the location is Queen Anne Hill.  Oh... he
mentioned he OWNED Path Valley Farms, but, when questioned, said he had an
interest; and he inferred ivolvement with a lot of ferret farms.  I've got a
call into Path Valley Farms.  He also said, in reply to me saying I was only
calling because I care deeply for ferrets, that he cared for animals too and
that I'd see him on National Georgraphic!  - not sure how that related, but
then the non-sequitors were the norm in this conversation.
 
Not saying he's one.... but people that traffic in animals for money alone
truly, deeply aggrieve me.  I hope I just caught him on a bad day.... but
most of us on the FML would never have such a bad day that they could talk
to fellow ferreters and hear about fuzzies in distress... and try to help in
any way they could.... or at least ask that someone call back at a better
time.
 
BIG, can I quote the highlights of his ad?  There were "eight babies...
fancy angoras 1st time seen in U.S.".  The ad ran in the Seattle Times and
P.I.  from about 10-26 to 11/5.  Lars, Nadine?  First time seen in the U.S.?
 
The Seattle angora salesman told me the breeder in Sweden is a friend of
his... Lars?  Nadine?
 
The Oregon Ferret Association has the most info on this, so if you answer me
make sure to cc: Georgia (address above), also Scott (of Spokane fame...
he's done a lot over there for Jean Smith - address also above), as he's
helping out, and has tracked some angoras in Spokane already.
 
Additionally, ideas area needed on how to track who spayed these angoras and
how to stop it from happening again.
 
So, if you've any ideas, please help.  I'm cc'ing you, Troy Lynn, because
you really seem to know the ins and outs of government and may have ideas of
how these fuzzies could be tracked down.  Could someone forward this to Lars
and Nadine?
 
The OFA is contacting their local USDA office and is talking with the broker
but a lot of info hasn't been forthcoming easily.
 
Georgia, do you have any idea of how many angora ferrets there were?
 
I've also alerted local vets in the area and, when I have access to a
printer, probably Monday, will prepare a flyer to send to the local vets as
follow up.  Also, Ed Lipinski mentioned in the FML that angoras, back around
this same time, were being sold through a Seattle pet store, so I'm looking
into this.
 
That's about it.  Thank you all, and fuzzy hugs always... and Happy New Year
to those lucky fuzzies that indeed have any hope of having a a happy new
year... but a Happier New Year to those fuzzies who have little hope of even
having a happy day.... sorry for the downer, but so many fuzzies need our
help and support.
 
I hope I can be part of the solution this upcoming year.
 
Oh, Happy New Year to us two-leggeds, too!
 
Lynn and the Gang of Seven Sweet fur kids (and, always, those bright and
bushy in the stars:  Percy, Schroeder, Squeek and his neural tube
siblings, Erb', who lived a day, and the two stillborn....)
[Posted in FML issue 2172]