Loose Lips Sink Kits An IFC Guide to Optimizing Seizure Situations when ferrets must be removed from a questionable household or business due to abuse. Before: 1. Network; try to have in place relationships with other ferret shelters and clubs to help spread the load when you encounter a major seizure and rescue, or when a non-ferret shelter calls you for help. 2. Work with your local Animal Control Officers, humane groups, license or permit issuing state departments, police, zoning and housing safety inspectors (since many hoarding situations are found due to complaints of unsanitary or dangerous housing conditions), and other official people. It is by having good relations in place with these people that a shelter or club manages to reduce the euthanasia which too often happens after very compromised animals are removed from an abusive ownership. Non-ferret shelters need to know that they can call on you when they encounter an abuse situation. 3. If you witness a case of abuse report it to the nearest Animal Control Officer or humane agent. Be aware that you may need to provide a written complaint and might later need to testify in a court of law. This will vary according to the situation, the state, and what actions are taken. Be sure to include date, time, location, names of any persons involved on the scene, and a complete description of the alleged abuse situation. Description of surroundings, condition of animals, overheard statements which pertain to the compliant, etc. also must be included. Further information may be found at http://www.aspca.org/site/FrameSet?style=Animal 4. Under no circumstances should the animals be removed from any suspect situation without a completed investigation by a humane agent and authorization by the courts. Doing so will not only enable criminal charges and damage claims to be filed against the intended rescuers, but will also allow the abuser to continue the abusive behavior unchecked with later animals. 5. Don't tell people about an upcoming seizure except for those who must know. There is a very real risk that if alerted the person will hide animals and then continue the abusive behavior, thus harming ferrets. 6. Be extra careful to not tell anyone who is prone to spreading news around prematurely about the upcoming seizure. 7. If you are an outside party who hears about such an impending rescue don't spread the information around. Perhaps you had to be contacted to help organize enough cages, food, or volunteer labor, but wait until the rescue has occurred before going public. Stay mum, otherwise you risk the welfare of the ferrets. 8. Check with all governmental departments with which the abuser should have permits or licenses for the ferrets to make sure that they have the right ones. If not, get a statement on that department's letterhead showing what was lacking. 9. Ask the officials and any humane group you are assisting what you should not do and what you should do, and discuss these guidelines with them. Your state, province, or county may have additional or special rules or needs which must be met. 10. Not all Animal Control Departments or general shelters are ferret-capable, or ferret friendly. It pays to know the limitations as well as the strengths of your local ones before a seizure situation takes place, and to work with them in a friendly and constructive fashion to educate and to fill in the gaps: providing shelter, medical care, handling, papers, and so on. [Posted in FML issue 4221]