OK, *now* I'm mad enough to spit tacks. The good news first: Milo came through surgery very well. The fracture above his knee went together beautifully. He can be released tomorrow afternoon. The bad news: When looking at the post-operative films, they discovered that he had another older break that was not visible on the first film. It's to the same bone, only up by the head of the femur (near the hip joint). It was completely in line and had started to heal, but surgery had dislodged it. It can't be repaired by surgery. It can't be wrapped (the wrap would cover his penis and he'd wet the dressing--if he were female, there'd be a chance). It will heal crooked, and he will limp somewhat for the rest of his life. Ah, I said, when the vet told me this. Then he did hurt himself in the first fall. No, the vet said, the first fall was a month ago, right? This break could not possibly be that old. In short, Milo suffered a severe injury early to mid last week and no one noticed! It's possible that the injury was on Saturday and started to heal right away, but I don't think the vet believed that. (I figure that there was granulation at the one break but none at the other is pretty convincing evidence.) So I went next door and informed them that I am giving him to the ferret rescue. I didn't want to do that; I wanted to convince them of it; I don't think my voice should carry over theirs simply because I have paid for his care on this accident; I didn't want to be giving orders. This is a whole different thing, however. I did not accuse them of abuse, but I told them that if he suffered three severe injuries in the space of one month, regardless of the cause of those injuries, clearly he was not safe there. I did have a minor argument with the boyfriend; he seemed unable to absorb that my distress is that Milo has suffered so much and that the only way to make sure he is safe is to take him elsewhere. It took some doing to get into his head that the money I have spent is not the issue and I am not seeking its recovery. He said I shouldn't talk about the details because it upsets the kids. *Shouldn't* they be upset that Milo came to so much harm while in their care? How are they to learn that animals need care if they don't grasp that Milo was *severely injured three times in the space of one month in their home*? Shouldn't they understand *why* I am not permitting Milo to return? The man was completely unable to grasp the concept of Milo as a *being*. He understands that the children are beings (thank goodness), but that Milo is a who and not a what is beyond him. (And they say that we folks with Asperger's lack empathy!) The mother didn't say a word. I am worried about that. If she's very angry at me, she could try to take Naz (formerly her cocker spaniel, but mine for three years and in my custody for four). I doubt she'd succeed; I never let him outside by himself so she couldn't steal him, and no judge on the planet would give him back to her with the strength of my case at this point for ownership. Nonetheless, I fear that she is now going to consider me an enemy. I think in her eyes I have done to her what she was generous enough *not* to do to me. (She had agreed to let me keep Naz simply because I didn't want to give him up.) I just can't figure what else I could have done. If she wants the $100 back that she spent on Milo, I'll give it to her (the boyfriend seemed to think that it was significant that she had paid that for him--more of that "Milo is an object" thinking). I was thinking about seeing if I couldn't get some ferret experts to come visit and help with ferret-proofing advice, but ... three severe injuries in one month? Bruising that was of an age not to fit with any of those established injuries? The vet mentioned that, too. I think he was trying to tell me Milo has been abused without saying anything that could legally count as slander of his family. Whether it's pure neglect (leaving Milo to get himself hurt) or actual abuse, I DO NOT CARE!!!!!! He is *not* *safe* there. He needs to go somewhere that he *is* safe. I'm scared for me now. But I don't see what else I could do. How could I let Milo keep getting hurt? K [Posted in FML issue 4950]