>From Ferret Association of Connecticut, Inc. e-mail: >[log in to unmask] [forwarded by request] We are asking all ferret shelters on the East Coast to come to the aid of the Northwest Jersey Ferret Association. A local shelter in their area has abruptly shut down, leaving 100 ferrets in need of assistance. The shelter operator's husband is currently caring for the animals, but clearly the more we are able to move to other shelters the better care they will have, and less animals will burden the two small Northwest Jersey shelters. FACT will be assisting Jane Casale and Dave Revere of NWJFA in coordinating rescue efforts and with publicizing this emergency. Jane will attempt to obtain a list of the animals. While we hope to try to keep cagemates together, we may not be able to obtain much in the way of medical history or personality on individuals. FACT has committed to pay for distemper vaccinations for each animal. Ferret Shelters: If you are able to take in any number of these animals, please contact Jane Casale at (973) 827-5170. She will keep a list of where you are located and how many animals you can take. I am in the process of attempting to get someone to act as a transportation coordinator - someone to arrange relay runs of animals to shelters. When I have a name and phone number, it will be posted. Ferret Lovers: If you live in the vicinity of the Northwest Jersey Ferret Association (bounded by Port Jervis, NY to the north, East Stroudsburg, PA to the west, and Paterson, NJ to the east) and are interested in helping care for, transport, or, even better, ADOPT one of these animals, please contact Dave Revere at (973) 947-0149. Individuals living outside the immediate area are also urged to consider adopting one of these ferrets. A listing of the shelters participating in this rescue will be posted both on the FML and at the FACT website, ferret-fact.org as soon as it is available. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING SHELTERS. Animals will NOT be shipped cross-country. Each participating shelter will utilize its own adoption procedures and will individually set adoption fees. Please wait for the listing to be published. PLEASE!! Do NOT call either Jane or Dave unless you can specifically assist! They are going to have their hands FULL and absolutely will not have time to chat. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated in this urgent situation. At this time, the health of these animals is unknown. Should there be a large number in need of medical assistance, we will post a central point to which donations can be sent. Thank you all for your attention. L. Vanessa Gruden Shelter Director, Ferret Association of Connecticut, Inc. [Posted in FML issue 2571]