Posted: January 1, 2010, 5 a.m. EST
Q: Our ferret escaped four days ago. We live in Oregon, and it’s very cold at night. I have searched the roads every day and haven’t seen her on the side. How far from home will a ferret travel knowing it has a warm place to be? How far can a ferret travel a day? What are the chances someone saw her and picked her up? Do you think there is any chance we may see her again?
A: When your ferret is lost, first make sure your neighbors, mailman and other people in your area know to keep an eye out for your missing ferret. Make some lost posters to place around the neighborhood. Contact your local animal shelters and veterinarians to see if anyone has found your ferret.
Second, make sure you have ferret food and water in a kennel or small cage outside your house in case your ferret smells its way back home.
I tried to find statistics on lost ferrets being found, but I couldn’t find very many. It was noted that many lost ferrets are actually still in the home somewhere, so make sure to thoroughly check inside, too. It is always helpful to have a current photo of your ferret for use in a lost poster, especially a photo that shows any identifiable markings.
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