The Story of Old Man Weezi

Weezi is an old (7+) ferret from the City of Fairlawn Nature and Parks Department (LRC. I believe - now you guys really didn't think I was going to let this one go did you?)

I got a call, the City of Fairlawn wants to donate a ferret to the shelter. Their education ferret. He is 7 or more give or take, he was just diagnosed with reverse diabetes, has a large hard spleen. The vet said the surgery would only buy him 6 or 8 months. We don't have the money in the budget to do it. We take him to XYZ vet. According to the person I spoke with they used him for education for 5 years.

Ok, this really hit me straight in the face. I reply, but you guys get funding and can get donations. With today's surgeries my vet bill is about $2000. You don't have the money? Where am I going to get it? NOw you have to understaned, these are the facts as they were presented to me.

Well, he can stay here, he won't get the surgery, and he won't be used in the programs any more. He'll just be in his cage here.

Ok, I'll take him, at least here he will get attention and playtime, and whatever my vet, Dr. Krupka thinks is best for him, we'll do, and if it is surgery, I'll find some way to pull the money out of ......... I am doing the XYZ event tomorrow. I need all his vet records from Dr. So in So.

Ok. We'll send his cage too, and his meds.

So I get brought this boy, in a cage, with his meds, and was being fed BILL JACK frozen DOG FOOD!!! "Oh Dr. So in SO said it was ok to feed him that." Sorry, that vet knows ferrets, and I know he knows better than to say that, especially THAT food. All the other foods give him the runs.

He is on the shelter mix, and there is NO Bill Jack in it and I have NO runny poop!!

So Monday, off to the vet. HUGE spleen, funny, they didn't say a thing about the mass cell either, some dental issues. Doc had the girls call to get Weezi's files from Dr. So in SO. Guess what??

The first time they saw Weezie was May 2 at 9:30 AM for shots, the first time this ferret is seen by this vet. The second time was when he had an insulinomic episode. I have copies of all the paper work from the vet, and it is only those two visits. They saw him twice. They found the flyer about the shelter's brick fundraiser and saw a way out.

Which means, no shots, no canine distemper shot, no rabies shot BEFORE May 2. So for four years he had no shots. (by the way folks, in your county RABIES is REQUIRED BY LAW and has been for a LONG time). Nothing. So they were doing education with him, not knowing the first thing about what is required.

I will NEVER EVER place a ferret in an education program with anyone. Zoo, Nature Center, none of them. I did twice, two different zoos, one lied. And now I have this, nope no more never ever (no they did not get him from here)

Ok, I have to stop, because what I want to write isn't nice, and I need to calm down.

I think I'll go back to turning the dining area into another shelter room and see if I can con shelter dad into putting in that ac unit in that room for the kids going in there.

Sigh, it is raining ferrets.