Recently our shelter has come across a situation that I am sure many
shelters and rescues have. I would like to get some feed back from
SHELTERS and RESCUES on this.
What I like to call FAD seems to happen when we get a single or couple of
ferrets in that have been for the better term ABANDONED by once loving and
caring Ferret Parents who for some reason feel that the pet they could not
live without, are now dropping off to a shelter. In a very blunt and
probably cold hearted term, these once caring and loving Ferret Parents
feel that doing this is for the best of their pet. While I do agree in
theory, what I am finding is these once caring and loving individuals are
abandoning an animal that has grown to love and relish the companionship
of these once loving and caring people.
So what is wrong here, well, lets put ourselves in the situation of these
intelligent creatures. They are now in a strange environment, with someone
they do not recognize as that person who once came home everyday, played
with them, feed them, gave them treats, and provided a safe and secure
home. Now, they don't know what to do. Even with these creatures
intelligence level, comes also lets say, paranoia, fear, and depression.
As our scientists, psychological researchers, and doctors are discovering
in us humans. Depression can cause all kinds of problems, to include
death. Now who is to say that these creatures do not experience depression
too. And what better way to bring it on then ABANDONING them. Yes, a
shelter or rescue is a better choice then placing an ad in the local paper.
That is like playing Russian Roulette, you never know what chamber is going
to be waiting for you when that person comes to purchase your once loved
ones.
Yes, I am sure by me writing this on the FML, I will return tomorrow to
find a dozen or more individuals who will claim to me that they would
rather die than give up their ferrets. Please save you fingers and time,
you don't have to prove a thing to me. I am not that cute fuzzy creature
you call Rascal, Bandit, Trouble, or Fuzzy. I was not purchased from a pet
store, breeder, or other Ferret producing industry. WHAT I AM SAYING IS,
prove it to your pet. Then go out and prove it to your pet again, because
when you allow a friend, relative, or even a stranger in a pet store to
purchase on of these very complicated critters, and you know deep in your
heart that this person will eventually grow tired of, have to get rid of,
or is not the type of person who should have one. You know you have to
step up and say something. It could be something as simple as, did you
know these animals catch all kinds of cancers (maybe a little white lie
never hurt) and their medical bills go into the hundreds of dollars. If
its enough to change that persons mind and scare them away from a ferret
and maybe a chia pet. Then you have done a good thing.
Why do I care about this, because I have seen to many ferrets abandoned
recently into our shelter that have obviously come from a once caring home,
but now find itself out of that home. The Ferret refuses to eat anything,
it lays in it hammock all day, when released to play, it just goes into a
corner and goes back to sleep. Within a couple of days, we have to force
feed it and then its off to the vet. We have been able to save some
ferrets who have done this, but we have lost too many to let this go by.
The moral to this story I hope is obvious. As I tell everyone who has
attended the Ferret Class I give. What are you planning to do in seven
years? Do you see a Ferret sharing that with you? What about 10 years?
If you are a shelter/rescue and you have seen this behavior before and have
some sort of solution, please share it with me. FAD is just that, and it
is something I would love to eliminate and the only way is getting Ferrets
into the hands of people who are looking for lifelong companions, not a
fad.
RickUnited Ferret Organization
10584 S. 700 E #310 (New Address)
Sandy, Utah 84070
(801) 572-6010
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3065]
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