# Reaching out to animal lovers: two sick baby ferrets in need



## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Hey everyone,

I hope I am allowed to post this here... if not please feel free to remove it. I am not a regular member on here anymore (but I still have my sweet hedgie Oakley ) but I have been in the past and wanted to reach out to you today because I know a lot of you are animal lovers with big hearts.

I am currently in the process of "rescuing" two very sick, very young baby ferrets from Petland. These babies were weaned from their mother at just 2 weeks old, forced to undergo major surgery (spay/neuter and descenting) then shipped off to Petland all before they were 4 weeks old. They have been there for a month and are now 8 weeks old and I have been visiting them. A few days ago I discovered they are both very sick. The male has a severe anal prolapse (his intestines are coming out of his body) as well as diarrhea and some sort of gastro-intestinal infection. The female is very tiny and her incision site is very infected. She has been "nursing" on her brother's ears and has torn them to shreds and clearly has some emotional damage from the whole ordeal.

I have had a serious discussion with Petland and have come to an agreement with them. They have taken the ferrets to the vet, where they currently are and will cover initial treatment on the condition that I buy both ferrets ($500 for both :shock and cover all further medical expenses. The male will most likely need a $2000-3000 surgery and they will both need lots of follow-up care. I am willing and able to provide them with this, as welll as to deal with the other issues that will follow - the male will have no control over his bowels and they both already shows signs of behavioural issues from the stress of everything.

I posted this on the Holistic ferret forum and a very kind Chinchilla owner who does not evern have ferrets herself set up a donation fund for these babies. So far we have raised $330 out of the $500 goal!!! I am reaching out to you to see if we can raise the rest before I pick these babies up. Through this fund covering the $500 "ransom" fee I have to pay to save these guys, all of my money I have saved up will go 100% to their medical care and treatment, which is so very very helpful as it will not be cheap!

If you could find it in your hearts to donate or pass this on, I would be so grateful. I will send pictures and updates to anyone who donates so that you know your money have gone to a good cause!

If you do not agree with this and think the pet store will just get more ferrets (which they will), I understand completely, I feel the same way. But do understand i could not leave these babies to die. And would appreciate it if you did not turn this into an ethics argument. I am just trying to help these innocent precious creatures live the life they deserve to have.

Here is the link to donate:
http://helpsos.chipin.com/rescue-two-ba ... m-pet-land

And a picture of these two precious little babies:










Petland has put these ferrets "On hold" for me and I will be picking them either tonight or tomorrow depending on when they get released from the vet.


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## kittyeats (Nov 23, 2011)

You are an amazing person for doing this. I don't know if HHC would like this, but could you put this underthe rescue section? I know these aren't hedgehogs, but I think more people will check this out if it's under rescue. We need to rescue these poor ferrets. Try posting this on the ferret forums, and the rat forums and the bunny forums!!! We need to try everything we can to try. Please keep us posted!!


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Thank you  I have cross-posted this to just about every forum I can think of.

The babies are getting picked up from Petland's vet tonight (who honestly is probably not that knowledgeable about ferrets :x) and then I should hopefully be picking them up tonight as long as Petland doesn't throw me any more loopholes :x :x :x 

If anyone knows any ferret owners they could forward this to, I would be so very grateful. I know these guys aren't hedgehogs and that I'd probably have better luck on this forum if they were, but I just wanted to raise all the money I could so that I can pay for surgery and medical procedures to make these babies better. Petland would have just euthanized them or sent them back to the ferret farm (equivalent of a puppy mill) if I hadn't agreed to pay the $500 to take them


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think it's AMAZING that you're rescuing them, with as much care as they'll need. I wish I could do something, anything to help, but I'm unfortunately extremely low on money right now and can't spare even a dollar, especially with Lily having medical issues right now too.  I really hope you get some money raised to help out though, and that both of the little ones pull through. I know they'll be safe and have the best care possible with you, they're so lucky that they were found by you. Petland is absolutely ridiculous, and the one that we had in our area went out of business years ago. I don't remember if it was related or not, but I remember they had puppies kept in the store, which is a HORRIBLE environment for puppies, and I'm pretty sure they were being neglected. So the store might've gotten shut down for that, rather than just going out of business.


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks Lilysmommmy!  And no worries, we've already raised $330 to rescue them which is SO incredible! Petland won't release them to me until they finish their antibiotics but they have guarenteed they are mine, so I will be taking these babies home in 10 long days! 

Thankfully the Petlands here no longer sell puppies or kittens. Only rescued dogs and cats from their PetsForLife program. People petitioned against it and won!!! So incredible!!! 

I only wish the same could be done for ferrets and hedgies too. There are enough abandoned dogs, cats, ferret and hedgies in the world and ones from GOOD breeders that mills are just not neccessary!


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