As I try my best to stay clear of local pet shops.  I have this weekend
been taken by a sign on the Local Pet Shop here in my area.  BABY FERRETS
ONLY ($139.00.)  Well as alway's my curious side brought me in.  Like a
child looking for candy I found the wee ones.  In a small plexiglass
container were stuffed about eight baby ferrets (eyes barely opened) and
one slightly older babe.  The water bottle filled with green fungus hung
so high the babies were trying to jump for water.  The food bowl dirty and
chewed I guess from a previous pet layed empty.  What I thought looked like
cat food was mixed in the wood chips.  A litter box that should have been
for one ferret now housed nine.  Completely full with flies.  Next, I was
approached by a sales person trying to tell me they were rare ferrets.
(Trying the regular sales spill.) Rare my rear,I blasted!  These ferrets
were in the worse possible condition and having a sales person tell me
they were rare.  It was your typical little ferrets.  But on this case,
the rareness was the condition of the care.  I have in all my 31 years of
ferrets never seen anyone, more less a business care for a pet like this.
I never took the time to visit the other pets in the shop.  I stood there
before I knew it demanding to see the owner.  I guess it was one of my PMS
days that got me so hot headed.  The owner came out and at first thought I
was having a heart attack.  Asked what the problem was.  I directly took
him to the side and shook my head.  Why I asked him what made him decide to
be an owner of a petshop.  He stood there for a few minutes shakening his
head.  Well,I.  And no words came out.  I took him over to the ferrets.  In
this container you have over $1,000.00 worth of ferrets.  Pets for someone
one day,(if they live.)  You probably have invested what $300.00 dollars.
You expect a profit and what a price these ferrets will have to paid.  They
have to live in a nasty container to small that should probably suit one
maybe two ferrets.  I told him I bet if he put his hand in it probably
would get bit.  Trying to prove a point, he did.  The little guys came
running and clamped on.  Well need I say more.  As the blood trickle down
his hand.  He went to the back.  I thought well I probably will be carted
off by the police next.  Being that I know all the police here it will
probably be one of my friends.  He gave me some gloves and asked if I could
help him.  None of the other workers wanted or could control these guys.
Being as small as they were.  It was funny to see grown people afraid of
them.  I told him I didn't need gloves.  Out from the back came three
new cages, new bowls, bottles, and food (ferret food.)  Together the
owner,myself and a few frighten salespeople housed the baby ferrets.  I
explained that they needed, handling as kits to get used to people and
plenty of care.  While in the process, I sold two ferrets, A cage, bottles,
a litter pan, litter food, and some sound advise on ferret care and my
number.  The owner was amazed as the clerk ran up the total of over $486.00
dollars.  What I thought was a trip to see a couple of baby ferrets ended
up being a major change in a owners business again.  He told me, he had got
all caught up in business that he forgot what and why he got started.  I
told him, sometimes in life we think of profit and business so much we
forget about the little things or (SHOULD I SAY LITTLE ONES.) After getting
ready to leave I felted, One relieved that the ferrets were happy, welled
cared, fed and that I didn't get carted off to JAIL or a NUT HOUSE.  The
owner ran to me as I was walking out to the parking lot telling me we open
at 9:00am start work then.  Laughing I said I have a job.  Mine is my
shelter which my pay is endless hugs and kisses.  There is no amount of
money could take me away,I and lefted.  Seeing these little ones made me
think, "I pray they don't end up unwanted or neglected."  And if they do,
I WILL BE THERE.
 
The Ferret Mama Denise Peddington Davis @ The Haven
[Posted in FML issue 3074]