I would not give these people the ferret back.(Casper) It sounds like they were looking for someone to take care of Casper and spend the money so they would not have to. I would tell them (as others have suggested) that the ferret has turned "ugly" stinks worse than anything, has the plague anything rather than give those no-good irresponsible, "pet owners". Better still, tell these fools that Casper has had an accident and died, and keep Casper for your own. Tell them to save their money and take some classes on animal husbandry, then MAYBE the #$@#@@! would realize that animals are NOT like library books or disposable lighters!! Sorry if I seem mad but I have to tell you about something that happened to me last year. One of my mother's friends knows I worked for the humane society, and went to 4-H for a year. She wanted to know if I could buy a chick for her daughter for Easter. While I told her the gesture was sweet, it was irresponisble. She got mad (her daughter was in the room), asking "well why NOT". I told her that no farmer would take back a chicken (chicks grow into chickens folks let's face it) because lord knows that it may have picked up some strange bug, and may infect his stock. He would most likely kill it and eat it if it was returned which is what SHE wanted to do. All the while she was gesturing with her eyes like "sugar coat it" which I refused to do and told her so. She saw reason, thank goodness, and apologised for getting mad. At least the woman will not commit the folly of buying an animal only to destroy it later when it is no longer cute or fashionable. Thanks much for letting me rant, I don't usually do this,<VBG> Selena Simonetti [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 1142]