Loose Lips Sink Kits
 
An IFC Guide to Optimizing Seizure Situations when ferrets must be
removed from a questionable household or business due to abuse.
 
Before:
 
1. Network; try to have in place relationships with other ferret
shelters and clubs to help spread the load when you encounter a major
seizure and rescue, or when a non-ferret shelter calls you for help.
 
2. Work with your local Animal Control Officers, humane groups, license
or permit issuing state departments, police, zoning and housing safety
inspectors (since many hoarding situations are found due to complaints of
unsanitary or dangerous housing conditions), and other official people.
It is by having good relations in place with these people that a shelter
or club manages to reduce the euthanasia which too often happens after
very compromised animals are removed from an abusive ownership.
Non-ferret shelters need to know that they can call on you when they
encounter an abuse situation.
 
3. If you witness a case of abuse report it to the nearest Animal
Control Officer or humane agent.  Be aware that you may need to provide
a written complaint and might later need to testify in a court of law.
This will vary according to the situation, the state, and what actions
are taken.  Be sure to include date, time, location, names of any persons
involved on the scene, and a complete description of the alleged abuse
situation.  Description of surroundings, condition of animals, overheard
statements which pertain to the compliant, etc. also must be included.
Further information may be found at
http://www.aspca.org/site/FrameSet?style=Animal
 
4. Under no circumstances should the animals be removed from any suspect
situation without a completed investigation by a humane agent and
authorization by the courts.  Doing so will not only enable criminal
charges and damage claims to be filed against the intended rescuers, but
will also allow the abuser to continue the abusive behavior unchecked
with later animals.
 
5. Don't tell people about an upcoming seizure except for those who must
know.  There is a very real risk that if alerted the person will hide
animals and then continue the abusive behavior, thus harming ferrets.
 
6. Be extra careful to not tell anyone who is prone to spreading news
around prematurely about the upcoming seizure.
 
7. If you are an outside party who hears about such an impending rescue
don't spread the information around.  Perhaps you had to be contacted to
help organize enough cages, food, or volunteer labor, but wait until the
rescue has occurred before going public.  Stay mum, otherwise you risk
the welfare of the ferrets.
 
8. Check with all governmental departments with which the abuser should
have permits or licenses for the ferrets to make sure that they have the
right ones.  If not, get a statement on that department's letterhead
showing what was lacking.
 
9. Ask the officials and any humane group you are assisting what you
should not do and what you should do, and discuss these guidelines with
them.  Your state, province, or county may have additional or special
rules or needs which must be met.
 
10. Not all Animal Control Departments or general shelters are
ferret-capable, or ferret friendly.  It pays to know the limitations as
well as the strengths of your local ones before a seizure situation takes
place, and to work with them in a friendly and constructive fashion to
educate and to fill in the gaps: providing shelter, medical care,
handling, papers, and so on.
[Posted in FML issue 4221]