Goodness but it's been a busy time here at the AFS. We seem to be going through a real cycle of surrenders lately which always seems to happen after we do any kind of public appearance. Luckily it also sparks interest in adoptions which have also been brisk so we're not feeling too overwhelmed though we're always saddened to see so many unwanted furkids coming through. A couple of weeks ago we received a 5 year old female sable named Princess. Boy does she live up to her name...we all immediately fell in love with this little darling whose disposition is so sweet yet at the same time regal. She even came with her own royal blue bed! The sad news is that Princess was surrendered because she is sick. She has no mobility in her back-end and the owners were not willing or maybe not able to get her the veterinary treatment she needs. They apparently only had her for a few months having gotten her from a friend who found her inside the walls of an empty apartment building that he was cleaning out for re-occupancy. After a complete vet check and some x-rays etc we're told that Princess has what appears to be a fused disk in her spine which is inflamed and likely pressing on nerves. The vet says maybe with time, treatment and therapy she may regain some if not all the use of her legs. Right now she is noticeably weaker on the right side than the left though neither side will support her weight. She's been put on a steroid and the foster family was shown how to empty her bladder which has to be done on a regular basis and they were also shown some therapeutic exercises to help strengthen the muscles in her legs. We are so grateful for the wonderful foster families that take care of our kids. Each one of them is worth their weight in gold. We'd be ever so grateful to hear from others who have been through a similar situation and to find out what works/worked for you in terms of therapy etc. We'd also like to do some research on the availability and cost of having a set of wheels designed for our little Princess so if you know who or where these can be found please write to me. Barbara Gustafson Alberta Ferret Society President [Posted in FML issue 3945]