Hello FML'ers
 
Sorry to keep swamping the FML with bad news but I was wondering if anybody
out there had come up against a similar problem to this one: Animal shelters
that put ferrets to sleep routinely and refuse to call us.
 
As you may remember from a previous message, I am currently president of the
Ferret Protection and Welfare Society in Australia.  We run a large (it has
to be large its the only one) shelter in Victoria for lost and unwanted
ferrets.  A lot of people bring ferrets to us for homes but many still go to
some of the much larger animal shelters like the R.S.P.C.A.
 
Due to legal problems ( I work in the veterinary industry) I will not say
which animal shelter here in Vic is causing us problems but it is probably
the largest here and has a great number of ferrets brought into it, esp
during the breeding season.  This animal shelters policy is to put ferrets
to sleep as soon as they come thru the door regardless of age, temprement,
health or situation.  WE have approached the shelter time and time again but
it is to no avail, we can have a representative from our group to the
shelter within 30 mins any time of the day and have offered to build ferret
proof caging and to supply thick gloves and handling equipment but have
recieved no reply.  What do we do next?  Ferrets are still kept for
rabbiting purposes here (altho our group has nothing to do with that
practice, we are just concerned for the ferrets health) and since the spread
of a new disease here to kill the rabbits, ferreters are disgarding thier
animals at an alarming rate.  Most of these ferrets that culd be found nice
loving homes as pets are not given the opportunity as they find their way to
this animal shelter and then to that big old ferret cage in the sky.
 
What can we do?  What steps can we take to prevent this from happening?
Ferrets are recognised as domestic pets in this state so where does the
problem lie?  How do we approach the situation so that the ferrets come out
best and this animal shelter doesn't start killing ferrets for vindictive
reasons?  Please help, any ideas would be welcome...
 
                Email me at :    [log in to unmask]
 
On an "unrelated" note I have often heard the RSPCA here in victoria being
referred to as the largest animal shelter in the state, which it probably
is.  It has also been said that the president of this organisation in
Victoria is not a great fan of ferrets.  I have had a radio interview last
year with this man (on national radio) over whether female ferrets could
contract hormonal problems if left unmated.  He had no proffessional opinion
on the matter he just didn't know anything about it and was under the
impression that what he didn't know couldn't be true.  He cut us off the air
with the comment "If thats the case the God must be stupid...".  Needless to
say we had a record number of jills with aneamia problems last year...
 
I don't know what to do.  Between this and the viral problem in the kits I
doubt whether there will be any ferrrets left alive in a few year.  That
makes me feel sick.
 
Thanking you in advance for your help.
 
Michael Curry
on behalf of Ferret PAWS....
[Posted in FML issue 1676]