Happy holidays to everyone,
I've been reading all the post's lately and so many have touched me beyond
words.  To Kevin and Liz my heart goes out to you.
 
Let me introduce myself, my name is Debbie and I live in Northern Calif.
I've always had a way with animals and have always been fascinated by
ferrets.  But of course you don't bring illegal animals into Ca.  A few
months ago I discovered how to work my search engine and was overwhelmed by
the mass of ferret related web sites.  I've been to hundreds and downloaded
thousands of pages of information.  One day I sent a message to another
lady in way Northern Ca. and let her know I was interested in doing
sheltor/rescue etc.  A couple of weeks later I was put in contact with a
lady who just happened to live down the street from me and away we went.
My first rescue was in late august, we work with the animal lawyer who
works for our local humane society, anyway I get this call that one of our
huge bizillion dollar winery's has a baby possom in a hamster cage in their
basement.  So I go and of course it's a ferret.  My first rescue.  She got
along with all 6 of my dogs(4 akiatas, 2 shelties) and my cat, but if
she saw another ferret it was spray city.  So she needed a very special
adoption arrangement.  After 6 potentials were turned down I fell in love
with number 7 and visa versa.  First rescue a complete sucess.  Now Liz,
this next part is for you honey.
 
One day I come home from the grocery store and find this 6foot by 4foot
horrible chicken coop in my driveway.  It was facing the garage so I
couldnt see what was in it.  As soon as I opened my car door I knew exactly
Ahat it was.  And I didn't want to look.  but I knew I had to get it out
of my driveway.  So I peek in and I almost died, I just started bawling.
There was this pitful,foul-smelling ferret with nails so long it couldn't
walk.  The floor of this wooden chicken coop were chicken wire and it's
foot pads were bloodily and scabbed.  It weighed maybe a pound.  There was
an old piece of dishtowel hanging from a wire, no litter box, water bottle
had algae in it, and a tuna can half full of who knows what.  This ferret
was like go ahead make my day open the door I dare you.  The only info.
was a note taped to the door.  It read...my seventeen year old son brought
this thing home 3 years ago and it's been in the garage for 2 and 1/2
years.  Don't try to pick it up it's mean and it stinks.  So my wife said
get rid of it....no name no nothing.  The whole front of this thing had to
be opened up in order to gain access.  I didn't know what to do.  Finally
I just bit the bullet opened the door and went for it.  You guessed it...
chomp city..... so I thought it over for a while and went in again.  This
time I had sucess.. I just kept talking in a soft voice and hoped for the
best.  Now this thing stunk...I ran into the house and placed it into the
bathtub and closed the door.  I was in the kitchen getting things ready
for a bath when I heard this miserable crying noise.  I ran back to the
bathroom and it was laying on it's side in the bathtub licking it's feet.
It was at this moment that I also noticed that it was a he.  Not only was
he a boy but he was a whole boy.  Anyway I soon discovered that he couldn't
stand up on his poor feet...they were just too torn up.  I was just sick
for this poor little guy and I decided then and there that I would give him
everything I could.  I'm fortunate to be able to do that.  I understand
completely that you weren't able to do this with your little guy, and as
far as I'm concerned you gave that little guy in less 24 hours more love
and compassion than he had seen his whole life.  So I commend you on a job
well done.  I just know the ferret lady is taking wonderful care of your
little fuzzy.  So I took this little guy into the kitchen and gave him what
I'm sure was his first and only bath.  He didn't like that one bit.  I also
discovered that he could spray.  Oh joy and rapture.  Then I trimmed his
nails (with the ole ferretone trick) saturated his pads with neosporin and
flew to the vet.she was heartsick too.  But remarkably his injuries to his
feet and being underweight were his only ailments.  I figured he would be
covered in fleas, ear mites and who knows what.  While he was resting at
the vet I went to petsmart and dropped a cool 350.00 dollars.  And then
picked him up and went home and set him up.  I put him in my craft room
where I spend 90 % of my at home time.  And let him be for about a week.
Everyday I would open the door and try to coax him out.  He wouldn't budge.
He had a snuggly hammock now and his feetsies were healing beautifully and
he wasn't about to leave that hammock unguarded.  One saturday morning I
was surfing the net and I felt a little nip at my leg and there he was.  He
looked at me and I swear he said, hey pick me up so I can get a better look
at you.  He felt heavier already.  So i put him down and got down on the
floor with him and rolled a little ball to him.  He just looked at it, got
a plastic bag, no reaction.  I realized that he had no concept of how to
play.  So I rolled him over on to his back and gently started tickling his
tummy and just kind of rubbed his face and head like you do a kitten.  Over
the weeks he started to get the idea.  And I, am, and proud to announce
that after just 4 months I have a healthly 3.5 pound male (now neutered)
dark sable monster vision boy who loves to get the dogs to play chase, he
is harness trained, purse trained, will mow over anyone in his path when he
hears his squeaky lamb, he runs up to it and puts his nose on the end and
then sort of sits for a treat.  He plays like he's been doing it all his
life and most of all he gives the sweetest weasel kisses.  I had been
saying all along that when he was ready he was going to be available for
adoption.  But you know what?
 
Merry Christmas to Debbie and Tucker.  Were in love and he will remain here
until the time comes for him to go the Rainbow Bridge.  And every time I
see him do the weasel war dance I just smile.  It's been a long hard road
but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, fish and game be damned.  They need to
just get over themselves.
 
I know this is super long but I just wanted to share my story with everyone
and let you all know that you can only do what you can do.  Just try to
make the time you spend with your monster visions the best that it can be.
 
Thanks for listening and I would love to hear feedback....
 
Debbie Dook
[Posted in FML issue 2905]