I Hate it When People Give up their Ferrets

Another email came in, on our guest book at www.ferretsanon.com about someone looking to place their ferrets. Because of the bad economy they are moving into an apartment and the owner fears the maintenance person will discover the ferrets and turn them in.

A "Free to Good Home" approach.

I have been answering the Ferrets Anonymous phone and email for 15 years - I hate this situation - and it is more common than you would think.

People must feel guilty for owning ferrets, they think they aren't providing them with a good enough home. Someone else out there would be a better owner.

I am haunted by by a case many years ago. A woman feeling this gave up her ferret. The new owner would not let her see it and the feeling was that something bad (and intentional) had happened to the ferret. The new owner seemed a bit of a sicko. That poor woman cried on my shoulder more than once.

Perhaps the maintenance person owns ferrets - its happened! Perhaps the apartment managers are more understanding than you'd think.

The last apartment I rented I snuck the ferrets in. No one can enter the apartment without advance notice. I just snuck the ferrets in the back room, not that that landlord ever did any service. I put heavy plastic under the doors and there was no damage. I also had the carpets cleaned before I left, no odor.

Giving away your ferrets could be a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There are people in Ferrets Anonymous who will foster your ferrets if you run into trouble.