....sigh! I slept all of about two hours last night. Did some crying and was angry most of the night. Couldn't sleep. I have named her Mercy... Mercy is the second of two abandoned ferrets picked up by local ACS officials in the past six days. She was found yesterday morning about 10:00 a.m. by a woman walking her dog near a busy two-laned highway. The officer was told the woman first thought it was a dead squirrel laying on the grassy area but as she got closer she realized it was not a squirrel -- but a ferret. IShe also told the officer that she recognized that it was a ferret because her daughter's best friend had one years ago. She said she picked up the cold, wet, barely moving ferret and wrapped her in a scarf and ran home and called police. They sent the ACS officer. ACS called me and I contacted the veterinarian where she had been taken to. Unfortunately, we worked late last afternoon and was unable to see her until this morning on my way to work. Mercy is a little black sable female, we estimate to be about 6 months old -- damn, she's only 6 months old and her life may be over because some piece of crap threw her away like garbage! No one is looking for this ferret! ACS has been out to the area where she was found and no one is looking for her....she was abandoned. No signs up. The officer even went to some homes looking for anyone who may have owned her or knew of someone owning a pet ferret...nothing! No ads in the papers, no ads on Craigslist....no calls or emails to my shelter. No calls to the ACS or the local humane society. Nothing! Mercy is suffering from exposure, possibly minor frostbite to her ears and feet, emaciation, and dehydration....Mercy had been outside for a few days possibly or she was already in that weakened condition when she was dumped and succumbed to the elements quickly. Folks, it rained and was very, very cold beginning late Saturday afternoon and it snowed last night. She survived the day and night at the hospital. She is being well cared for and I got to hold her for a few minutes before I had to leave. Cried some more. My anger grew as I drove to work. The other little one was brought to us on Thanksgiving Eve by my town's ACS. The caller said the ferret was scritching at her back door to be let in. This little guy arrived clean, fresh, in good condition, and....with two adult fleas. Either this ferret is a very lucky little guy ... or I suspect the caller was really the owner and just wanted to surrender the ferret without admitting to be the owner....but, does it really matter!? Luckily, I am on very friendly terms with the Hernando ACS officer. She is a dear friend. We have named him Punkin....sorry, could not think of anything else at the time -- hey, it was Thanksgiving and I was cooking when he arrived! I was really hoping someone would call missing a dear pet. Nope. Yet another throw away pet -- nothing to get upset about, right! Punkin is about 6 months old also. He is a sweet, feisty, playful, social little light brown sable who deserved better. Honestly! Sometimes I wonder if people have lost their soul....(shaking my head)!!! Two very young ferrets just abandoned as if they were nothing. Nothing! I have an older ferret that has recently become paralyzed that was found abandoned on the banks of the Mississippi River back last summer. He did not get there on his own! I know my brothers and sisters in dog and cat rescue see this all the time. Fortunately, ferrets are not as common as dogs and cats, not yet anyway, and so this occurrence does not happen as regularly as with the kitties and doggies. I just do not understand it...never will. You would think after over 10 years of ferret rescue and over 25 years in animal rescue, I would get used to this.....I just don't understand people...how can you be so damn cruel!! Good Lord! Seems like everything we do is in vain...there will always be someone who doesn't give a flying rats ass about anything or anyone!! And, another to take that creep's place...and another, and yet another...it never, ever stops, does it!?! Sigh....sorry folks, thank you for letting this tired shelter mom vent for a minute. Mercy needs all of the prayers she can get right now....please keep her in your thoughts... Respectfully submitted, Maren Qualls Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary Hernando, MS [Posted in FML 7259]