Rosemarie and Shay, I am very sorry that you are going through this stressful situation. I know how I would feel if it were one of my own. However, animals do not technically have 'rights' because they are considered objects, in other words possessions much as women and children used to be considered chattel. I don't see that the animal shelter acted inappropriately to begin with because they followed the law and after the required time did find a home for the rescued ferret rather than have it euthanized. However, once the owners turned up, the Director of the shelter should have negotiated a return of your fuzzkid. And you are correct that a reasonable, caring person might have been disappointed to return the ferret but would have done so nevertheless. I ask myself what would compel a person to keep an animal, knowing that its owners are frantic to get it back? All speculation but some possibilities are that the person was in fact never contacted; or the person believes the ferret is better off with her/him, perhaps thinking the former owners were negligent or abusive; or the person is extremely immature and doesn't understand human/animal bonds. I am certain there are numerous other possibilities. I would suggest appealing directly to the Board of Directors of the shelter, never mind the shelter Director, who has already acted inappropriately. I would also address a letter to the new owner describing the life Ollie had with you. I would not make it an angry letter because you don't really know what the person has been told about the ferret's previous home. You want to show them that you provided a caring and loving home. Do not assume the person knows this. Good luck and let's hope Ollie gets home soon. Tressie Chair Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada http://www.flsatlanticcanada.org/ [Posted in FML 6265]