While most vets acquire their first ferret when someone dumps it at the office, Dr. Sandra Kudrak was hand picked by her ferret Zachary. *I was in a pet store examining two 20-year old cats that were up for adoption. This little baby weasel kept reaching through the bars of his cage and grabbing my smock. The store owner let him out to *visit.* The rest is history!* The relationship influenced not only her lifestyle, but her veterinary practice. Both Dr. Kudrak and Dr. Alan Peterson regularly see ferrets in their practice. *As a veterinarian, I found ferret owners to be unusually devoted to, and interested in, their ferrets. I have seen few species with such a strong owner/pet bond -- yet receive so little protection and regulatory oversight. That is why I become so involved in ferret medicine and politics.* Like all ferret owners, there are those special moments that make Dr. Kudrak realize that life with ferrets is entertaining, if nothing else. Now she knows *how to get a ferret out from underneath the bathtub without bring in major demolition equipment. Fortunately, a squeaky toy near a pipe entrance under a cupboard proved to be just the trick!* Dr. Kudrak lives in New York with her mom and her 4-footed family. *The critter family consists of 12 ferrets, 11 cats, 5 birds, and a dog.............so, quite an extended family! ;)* If given the chance, she would love to spend 24 hours visiting with her grandparents, who died when whe was 5. When not at home, her experiences span the globe. She enjoys racing whitewater canoes, hiking, biking, exercising, reading, travel and of course, playing with her ferrets! Or, reading. *I like the John Grisham and Clive Cussler series -- light reading after a hard day at work!* Dr. Kudrak served as a veterinarian in Alaska, a most memorable experience. As she tells it, * I (was) working as a veterinarian for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. During an afternoon off, I took a Cessna out to "tour" the area -- and we flew along a frozen river basin, and I saw the wildlife migrating along the banks. Then we flew through several mountain ranges, including circling the peak of Denali. The vastness and wildness of the area left a permanent impression on me. It shows how we are only a small piece of an inconceivably large picture painted by Mother Nature.* Dr. Kudrak shared that she *respects the people who work day in and day out to better the lives of all homeless creatures (ferrets, cats, dogs) and don't expect much recognition back except the love they see in the eyes of the critters whose lives they have improved. This certainly would encompass many of the ferret shelter/rescue volunteer workers out there.* Dr. Kudrak *would like to be remembered as someone that made a difference in my little corner of the world.* What can one person do? Come hear Dr. Kudrak in St. Louis on April 30 at the 2005 Ferret Symposium to see how you can make a difference in your own corner of the world! To use this vet: Sandra Kudrak, D.V.M. Community Animal Hospital 269 Titusville Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Telephone: 845-471-7459 http://www.communityah.com/kudrak.htm Meet Me in St. Louis! April 29 - May 1, 2005 International Ferret Congress http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 4840]