I have my telephone number listed with veterinarians and the Humane
Society in my county. They call me, if a ferret needing a home is
brought to their attention. Most "animal shelters" won't take ferrets,
because they are ill-equipped to house them -- no ferret-proof cages,
no ferret food, no idea what to do with a ferret at all. If I am at my
capacity for ferrets, I'll hold the ferret, until I can find a forever
home for it or our "ferret" shelter can take it in.
I got a call Monday from a vet tech two towns over asking if I still
took in unwanted ferrets. I gave her my permission to pass along my
name and information to the person wanting to get rid of their ferret.
I just got off the phone with the actual owner of the ferret a few
minutes ago -- Well, the owner's wife.
Templeton is a four-year-old Marshall sable male. He's had the run of
the house all his life, until the man-of-the-house started bringing
home large dogs, and then they were remodeling the house, and...
Recently, Templeton almost died, because no one knew his water bottle
wasn't working for DAYS -- just too busy, and the bottle was full
anyway, right? The wife called, because, unless she found a home for
the ferret, the husband was going to let him go on someone's farm to be
a "wild" ferret. Templeton's natural instincts would take over and he'd
be a happy wild animal -- That was the husband's thinking at least.
Templeton is just lucky that it was the vet tech's farm they wanted to
let him go on, and she knew me.
I'll meet Templeton this Sunday, but Templeton as an individual isn't
the point. The point is that, though I've got an apartment stuffed
with fish, two cats, and seven ferrets (most of whom are disabled and
sick from abusive homes), I'm taking one more. You probably have
rationalized that, if you take in "just one more", that you'll keep
taking them in, until you are overwhelmed. Isn't that what the ferret
shelters are for, anyway?
I'm charging you to be a half-way home for ferrets. Scan the newspapers
and online ads, and give the people "selling" their ferrets your number
for if they can't sell and have to "get rid" of "it". List your number
with the animal shelters and veterinarians' offices. Keep one or two
small cages tucked aside for the results. And, when one comes in, post
an ad in the paper yourself. Put an online ad up yourself. Interview
prospective ferret owners yourself. Do all the things that the former
owners would not or lost patience with, and find that ferret a forever
home. Tell your local ferret shelter that you have a ferret needing a
home, but that you are willing to house and feed it for the time being.
See if they'll put if up on their website as adoptable. If you need an
incentive other than to wonder about all those Templeton's out there,
ask your local ferret shelter to accept you as a foster home, so you
can get a tax write-off for any expenses.
I know you FMLers are not the ones that needed that lecture, but I
needed to write it. I needed to let my anger find voice through the
keyboard. I wish I knew that Templeton's tale was the worst out there,
but I am owned by ferrets whose histories make me sick at my stomach.
I've even heard stories more awful than the ones of my own weasel
family.
Shortly after Templeton arrives, he'll be added to the list of ferret
mascots at Ferrets at Heart (ferretsatheart.com). If he can adapt into
one of my two groups of ferrets, I'll be very pleased to keep him. If
he cannot, I'll work with Ferrets Unlimited Rescue Services (who covers
most of north and central Ohio) and through methods mentioned above to
find Templeton a forever home.
"Just one more" won't hurt, and "one more" is all God is asking of me
today.
With respect,
Lori of Ferrets at Heart
http://ferretsatheart.com/
[Posted in FML 6821]
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