FERRET RESCUE

The word rescue conjures up an awful lot of ideas - What are we rescueing the ferrets from?

ABANDONED

At the age of 6 months owners are well advised to have their ferrets spayed/neutered because what happens in the following months is more than some owners can stand.The ferret's mating season runs from Feb/March to July/August give or take a couple of weeks and your fluffy bundle of fun can become a raving lunatic(mainly the hobs).They will begin to stink and I mean stink and although the hobs may have been of the sweetest nature and attentive to their owner,watch them change when they are aware of another ferret close by.Un-neutered hobs can become very aggressive toward each other even when they are litter brothers,they can rag each others necks and cause really bad wounds.Jills on the other hand can develop all manner of diseases that can be fatal if Veterinary advice is not taken. Consequently rather than spend a few pounds having their pets spayed/neutered owners pass them down the line of unsuitable would beowners or just release them to fend for themselves(something a ferret does not do well).

INJURED AND SICK

When ferrets are brought into our Rescue they are usually alive with ticks/fleas,earmites and 99% are un-spayed/neutered,most have long nails and some have nails that curl under to the pads.So the big clean up starts after a day of rest and nourishment.Some have festering wounds,broken bones and fatal deseases.All our ferrets are checked out by our Vet and treatment start immediately if required,if they are strong enough they are spayed/neutered and then they are ready for adoption to the right owners.

UNWANTED

Owners lose interest in their ferrets for lots of reasons - sometimes the novelty wears off - sometimes relationships break down - sometimes they cannot cope because they didn't take the time to find out enough about the animal before adopting or buying one.Whatever the reason we take those ferrets also, most are in good condition but once again most are un-spayed/neutered.

KITS

During the Summer months from 1999 to 2002 we took in almost 500 kits from the ages of 3 weeks to 3 months.This is why here at M.F.W we are constantly urging people to have their pets spayed/neutered.Many of these were from indiscriminate breeders who couldn't give a damn who he sells them to.A few were from owners of working ferrets who bred to restock their groups.Every year they hand the kits over to us they do not want - knowing they will go to the best homes possible.

ABUSED

Ferrets are abused in many ways - they are starved - kept in filthy conditions - not treated by a Vet when sick or injured and just left to suffer and die - kicked and tortured.In fact every cruel act known to man is bestowed on the ferret by the one thing that has the power to stop it - MAN .Once again it is left to Rescue Centres like ours to pick up the pieces and try and restore the ferrets to a life without fear.Sometimes this takes months of patience and love as it did with two of our own Raggy Aggy and Mr Lecter.No matter how long it takes it is worth all the pain from sore hands and legs from vicious bites just to have a ferret climb onto your lap and go to sleep - he has learnt to trust again.