Hi! My name is K (yeah, just the letter _ ;;;), I live in Ithaca, NY, and Milo is a year-old ferret living with my nextdoor neighbors. He's a wonderful little guy and very friendly, but they haven't been taking very good care of him. Last month he fell off their third-story balcony and luckily got away with only a cut and some painful bruises. Today he wasn't as lucky. It's unclear whether he fell from the balcony again or down some stairs, but he definitely has a fracture to his left femur, just above the knee joint. In spite of the pain and that he was alone with me, a comparative stranger, he was not aggressive and very trusting all the way to the animal hospital, where he is now resting and on pain medication, along with fluids. (Apparently he hasn't been getting sufficient water because the vet said he was dehydrated.) I am paying for his care through tomorrow [Monday] morning (including the radiographs taken). That comes to about $500. Surgery, which would take place Monday at soonest, would be an additional $1000, and they say that without it he'll probably never use the leg again. I hate to upset the kids by taking him away, but Milo is paying the price of their irresponsibility and in very high coin, too. On the strength of the money I've already spent on him, I'm going to try to talk the mother of the family into letting Milo go to a new home. I've already located a foster home for him, through the local ferret rescue society (Western New York and Finger Lakes Ferret Assocation). It's very doubtful I can pay for the surgery. I'm currently undergoing refinancing, and an additional $1000 was not anticipated. I also have a cocker spaniel (the same family's previous pet, as it so happens), and I have to have some credit available in case something major happens to him. I don't know what to do, but I can't just abandon Milo. His predicament is not his fault. I'm not looking for my money back; I'm just looking to get the surgery covered. He's at Cornell's Veterinary School's hospital; I am sure payments could be made directly to them. I'm not expecting anyone to just trust me that the money is going for the ferret. I would insist with his family that if they did not pay for the surgery (there is no way they can pay), they'd have to give him up to the ferret rescue. Thanks for any assistance you can give him or advice you can give me! K [Posted in FML issue 4948]