We had our 2nd annual Ferret Fun Match here in Portland, Oregon this
past weekend.  The weather was beautiful and LOTS of people showed up.
Of course, most of them were ferret owners and breeders.  Although there were
2 women there who were not.  One of them was an elementary school teacher who
was hoping to find someone to talk to her school kids about ferrets.  She
was quite taken by the critters, by the way.  Maybe we'll have some
positive  'propaganda' for a change.  We sure need it.
 
I was very surprised that so many people showed up (100+) considering
the turnout last year.  But this year we had posters printed up and
one of the local weekly paper columns also mentioned the event.  We had
all the silly contests that are required of such events:  best costume,
largest/smallest jill, largest/smallest hob, fastest swimmer, etc.
 
We didn't take our ferrets along since Mark was busy judging, and I was
busy taking pictures.  So no ribbons this year.
 
One of the more interesting people I met there was a breeder who also
works with the zoo.  He rehabilitates wild animals that have been hurt
or abused and releases them back to the wild.  He claims to have
3 Black-footed ferrets that were taken out the the wild sometime back
illegally (by someone else, of course).  The zoo then somehow got hold
of them.  He now has them.  They are in quarantine waiting to be shipped
to the Wyoming breeding facility.  I didn't have any reasons to
not believe him, although the story is a bit unusual.  With all the
press that the Black-footed ferrets have gotten lately, one would think
that 3 healthy adult ferrets outside of Wyoming would've gotten some coverage.
But we'll see.  (Note for the Crandalls:  Have you heard anything about
these Oregon ferrets?)
 
Shu-Ju
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0033]