On Friday I received a call from my local Animal Control Shelter saying they had just received a ferret, they weren't sure what was wrong with him and would I come take a look at him. They had never called me before but someone there used to work for a local vet and knew I took care of ferrets. On the drive over there on Saturday I was afraid of what I would find when I got there because I live in farm country and the people here are not familiar with ferrets and neither are the local vets. When I arrived I was pleasantly surprised that the staff had tried to make this boy comfortable and had taken him out of the cedar chips and the very small cage he had been living in. He was in a larger multi-level cage with a litter box, food, water, a bed and a cover. He was even using the litter box and he had not even seen one before. I picked him up and he was so small, in need of a bath, very dishelved looking and with some hair loss. All he wanted to do was kiss me and was so happy to be held. It was obvious that living in the cedar chips had taken a toll on him and I am sure he also has adrenal disease. I want to bring this boy home to live with my other 15 so his last months/years of life will be comfortable and he will have buddies to keep him warm at night like he never had before. Unfortunately, I don't have the funds to give him the surgery he so desperately needs (my Hershey had surgery last week and the bill was $1,500). Over half of my current ferret population is living on hand feedings, medication, hormone injections and borrowed time and I am trying to care for them myself with no outside help or money. Won't you please help me bring this little boy home by visiting my website and making a purchase of my new ferret book or other merchandise. Thank you to all FMLers for being so supportive. Donna Austin www.ferretsandfriends.com [Posted in FML issue 4131]