Jerri Carel And The Ferret Haven Ferret Rescue And Sanctuary

© Courtesy of Jerri Carel Chloe and Phoebie are champagne-colored sister ferrets that are very playful.

Help From Others
“One of the most important things I've come to learn in sheltering is that it's nearly impossible without the hard work and dedication of a group of volunteers!” Carel said. “One person cannot possibly properly care for 45 ferrets on a daily basis. And there's so much more going on behind the scenes than just daily ferret care. There's fundraising, sewing, adoption days, educational events, adoption applications to screen, references to call, e-mails to respond to, calls to return, paperwork to be filed, vet appointments to be attended, rescue pick-ups to be made, weasel laundry to be washed and folded — it really does take the efforts of many dedicated volunteers to run a shelter. The Ferret Haven is fortunate to have several of the best!”

Although the shelter has a website, Carel is hoping that someone who knows how to develop websites will volunteer to help improve it. 

Costs That Add Up
Ferret Haven’s largest expense is veterinary care. “We have a wonderful, compassionate vet, Dr. Hankins at Springhurst Animal Clinic, who provides all of our shelter veterinary services and does so with a giving and compassionate heart,” Carel said.

The second largest shelter expense is food, which includes a mix of three to five high-quality foods.

Click images to enlarge Gizmo is one half of a bonded pair of ferrets that are available at the rescue.

© Photos Courtesy of Jerri Carel Weasly is an 18-month-old ferret that's independent and playful, just like Gizmo.

Meet The Ferrets
Ferret Haven has some very special pairs of ferrets in the shelter at this time. Two pairs come from someone who adopted in the past but now faces serious health issues of her own and can no longer care for the ferrets. “These ferrets were actually born at the shelter after we had 30 kits born to several pregnant jills from a large breeder surrender in 2007. If someone wanted ferrets associated with this surrender/rescue and was not able to arrange it at the time, here is a second chance!”

Gizmo & Weasly: Gizmo is a sable mitt male with a black nose and Weasly is a dark sable male with a black nose. Neither is de-scented and both are 18 months old, independent, strong-willed and high-energy playful, according to Carel. “If adding to a group, they would be dominant.“

Chloe & Phoebie: Both of these 18-month-old, sturdy females are champagne-colored. Neither is de-scented. Chloe is more dominant. Carel said they are very playful and have stamina like the Energizer bunny.

Bella & Bo: These two are an inseparable pair. Bella is a 2-year-old marked white female that was one of the last 587 ferrets to come from the breeder surrender of 2007. She is very gentle and not de-scented. Bo is a 2-year-old, ruby-eyed white male that is deaf. He is very gentle.

Words Of Wisdom
Carel recommends that people considering adding a ferret to their family do research. “Know what you're getting into before you get a ferret, or any pet for that matter,” she said. “A ferret is not a tool with which to teach your kids responsibility — it's a living, feeling little life. If taken into your home, a ferret should be considered a part of the family and everyone’s responsibility. If the kids lose interest, a family member does not get left at a shelter! Likewise, when they get old or have medical problems, this is the time to pull together as a family and make their last bit of time filled with comfort and love.” Carel recommends The South Florida Ferret Help Line website for a wealth of ferret medical information.

To see all Shelter And Rescue Focus columns, click here>>

Troy Lynn Eckart is the founder of Ferret Family Services,a domestic ferret information, education and welfare public service organization in Kansas.

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