- how many of you, had no close pets as children, but later in life became animal and ferret people? My family had a dog, but it was my brother's dog. Not close to me at all. I wanted a ferret when I was 16, but Mom said no. I finally got one 6 months after she died because I needed a pet to help me get over her loss. - how many of you, had a couple of standard pets such as dogs or cats as children? Just had one dog growing up. We supposedly had cats when I was a baby, but I don't remember them. - how many of you had close contact with more unusual species of animals as children? Had little turtles and baby chicks growing up, but nothing really exotic. I now have five ferrets of my own and run a shelter. I don't have any children, so the ferrets are my life (after my husband, of course). Melanee Ellis "The Ferret Lady" www.ferretlady.org [Posted in FML issue 5271]