>From:    Cara Grib <[log in to unmask]>
>
>Today a friend called to say her uncle ran into what they thought was
>a weasel in the Bartlet area of Illinois.  Their dog had been tied up
>outside and attacked an animal that appeared to be a "black weasel."
>Unfortunately the animal got away before they could catch it to make sure
>it was okay.  After calling the local animal shelter, they found out that
>there are no weasels in the Illinois area.  The shelter suggested that
>perhaps this animal was someone's ferret that got out.  Tonight they are
>going to be looking around for the animal in hopes of catching it to find
>out if its hurt.
>
>If anyone is missing or knows of someone who is missing a ferret in that
>area, please email me at [log in to unmask]  Hopefully we can help
>you recover your poor lost ferret.  Or, if anyone has any ideas on what
>that animal could be, please let me know that as well.
 
Cara -
 
This animal likely could have been a mink.  There are a few mink farms
around the northern IL.  counties, and they escape all the time, or folks
who decide to breed them on their own, release them when they realize
they're a lot to handle/care for.  The minks are very dark - no mask and
depending on the age, and from a distance, can look like a ferret.  They
have similar movements.  Full grown, I think they look more like river
otters.  I got a call recently, from the Vernon Hills, IL.  police dept.
Said they had a stray ferret they picked up in a community park.  I do
ferret rescue for the GCFA (mostly here in Lake Co.  where I am, and
sometimes in McHenry county to the west), and when I got over to the police
dept., I discovered they had captured a baby mink.  They had no clue as to
the difference between a mink and ferret, but luckily, I knew of a state
licensed wildlife rehab person, who has ferrets and "pet" minks of her own,
so I took this mink baby to her for care.  So if the animal your uncle saw
was a mink, there probably isn't much you can do really.  They are wild
animals.  If the animal is found, and is injured, I'd suggest just calling
animal control.  You don't want to try and handle any injured, wild animal.
 
Phyllis
[Posted in FML issue 3496]