As I try my best to stay clear of local pet shops. I have this weekend been taken by a sign on the Local Pet Shop here in my area. BABY FERRETS ONLY ($139.00.) Well as alway's my curious side brought me in. Like a child looking for candy I found the wee ones. In a small plexiglass container were stuffed about eight baby ferrets (eyes barely opened) and one slightly older babe. The water bottle filled with green fungus hung so high the babies were trying to jump for water. The food bowl dirty and chewed I guess from a previous pet layed empty. What I thought looked like cat food was mixed in the wood chips. A litter box that should have been for one ferret now housed nine. Completely full with flies. Next, I was approached by a sales person trying to tell me they were rare ferrets. (Trying the regular sales spill.) Rare my rear,I blasted! These ferrets were in the worse possible condition and having a sales person tell me they were rare. It was your typical little ferrets. But on this case, the rareness was the condition of the care. I have in all my 31 years of ferrets never seen anyone, more less a business care for a pet like this. I never took the time to visit the other pets in the shop. I stood there before I knew it demanding to see the owner. I guess it was one of my PMS days that got me so hot headed. The owner came out and at first thought I was having a heart attack. Asked what the problem was. I directly took him to the side and shook my head. Why I asked him what made him decide to be an owner of a petshop. He stood there for a few minutes shakening his head. Well,I. And no words came out. I took him over to the ferrets. In this container you have over $1,000.00 worth of ferrets. Pets for someone one day,(if they live.) You probably have invested what $300.00 dollars. You expect a profit and what a price these ferrets will have to paid. They have to live in a nasty container to small that should probably suit one maybe two ferrets. I told him I bet if he put his hand in it probably would get bit. Trying to prove a point, he did. The little guys came running and clamped on. Well need I say more. As the blood trickle down his hand. He went to the back. I thought well I probably will be carted off by the police next. Being that I know all the police here it will probably be one of my friends. He gave me some gloves and asked if I could help him. None of the other workers wanted or could control these guys. Being as small as they were. It was funny to see grown people afraid of them. I told him I didn't need gloves. Out from the back came three new cages, new bowls, bottles, and food (ferret food.) Together the owner,myself and a few frighten salespeople housed the baby ferrets. I explained that they needed, handling as kits to get used to people and plenty of care. While in the process, I sold two ferrets, A cage, bottles, a litter pan, litter food, and some sound advise on ferret care and my number. The owner was amazed as the clerk ran up the total of over $486.00 dollars. What I thought was a trip to see a couple of baby ferrets ended up being a major change in a owners business again. He told me, he had got all caught up in business that he forgot what and why he got started. I told him, sometimes in life we think of profit and business so much we forget about the little things or (SHOULD I SAY LITTLE ONES.) After getting ready to leave I felted, One relieved that the ferrets were happy, welled cared, fed and that I didn't get carted off to JAIL or a NUT HOUSE. The owner ran to me as I was walking out to the parking lot telling me we open at 9:00am start work then. Laughing I said I have a job. Mine is my shelter which my pay is endless hugs and kisses. There is no amount of money could take me away,I and lefted. Seeing these little ones made me think, "I pray they don't end up unwanted or neglected." And if they do, I WILL BE THERE. The Ferret Mama Denise Peddington Davis @ The Haven [Posted in FML issue 3074]