Bryan, the answer to your question, 'Did I do the right thing?', is not an
easy one to answer.  Certainly, notifying the proper authorities is/was the
correct thing to do.  But as to the ferret...
 
I know a lot of members on this list do not endorse 'rescuing' ferrets by
purchasing them.  They have logical reasons for this point of view, and I
would not say that they are wrong.  Certainly, I cannot endorse encouraging
an individual or an organization to continue the practice of obtaining
ferrets to resell at a profit, while not providing the appropriate care for
the animal.  At the same time, I am not sure my heart would let me walk away
from the situation, leaving the ferret there.
 
My limited experience in dealing with pet stores that do not properly care
for animals and the local authorities is that frequently, the animals are
not taken from the offending store.  The store is issued a citation, perhaps
fined, and warned to clean up their act because they will be checked on in
the near future.  Therefore, you could report this pet store, wait until
after the authorities have paid them a visit, and then go get the ferret,
knowing that you may have helped other, future animals they would receive,
while still doing what your heart wanted.  Also, you could let the
authorities know that you are interested in the welfare of the ferret.  If
they do confiscate it, you could offer to adopt it.  Most animal shelters
are over run with animals, and they are more then happy to find a good
loving home for the animals in their care.  You would, of course, have to
pay the usual adoption fee to the shelter, but I doubt that money is a
concearn for you at this moment.  Anyway, you would certainly want to make
it clear that in reporting the store you were not simply trying to get out
of paying for the animal.
 
All this is just MHO.  I hope you will be able to find a course of action
you will be happy with.  Let us know how things turn out.
 
Take care all,
Danee DeVore and the 8 DeVore fuzzies.
[Posted in FML issue 1828]