46 Ferrets!!! Wowsers!

Wednesday, January 17th, 2007 at 4:36 am

Just had to share this newspaper article with you.

Thank goodness for people like the Ruutels, taking in unwanted ferrets – and also the people who take in ANY unwanted animal.

You hear about how cruel people can be with pets but then there are so many others who do wonderful things for them.

When reading the article, I was especially moved by Jane’s comment about how one of her ferrets licked her tears off her face when she was crying after her father had died.

10 years ago my father had died recently and my mother was in hospital, so Philip (my wonderful hubby) used to sleep in my mother’s house every other night so that he could take care of her cat and dog, and also so that burglars wouldn’t think the house was unattended.

I was stressed out of my mind with worry about my mother and was absolutely touched beyond expression when, one night when Philip was away, all SIX of my ferrets came up onto the bed and snuggled down on either side of me. 3 on one side, and 3 on the other. They did it every night I was on my own for several months (my mom was in hospital for 3 months before she died)!

This had never happened before. Yes, I used to have one or two of the girls coming up to cuddle during the night but never all 6 of them. And, after my mother died and I got over the pain, it never happened again.

They just knew that I was unhappy and stressed so they came up to keep me company. It was such an obvious show of affection and support that I still cry when I think of it.

And people say animals are dumb ………!

Couple run off their feet by 46 ferrets
By Andrew Chiles

Jonno, a Polecat Ferret

The idea of being overrun with ferrets is enough to make even the most ardent animal-lover blanch.

Not so Jane and Harry Ruutel, who let 46 of the slippery creatures share their home. Jane, 48, said: “They are just the most fantastic pets. They are so comical, they are always doing something to make you laugh.”

Everywhere the couple turn they find the ferrets, whether they are dashing through a specially made garden assault course or up and down trouser legs.

The pair, from Rustington, near Littlehampton, adore the animals and for the past seven years have turned their home into a sanctuary, taking in abandoned and mistreated ferrets from around Sussex and nationwide.

Contrary to popular belief, ferrets are not rodents, but members of the mustelid family, which also includes weasels, stoats and martens.

Thirty of the ferrets are the couple’s own pets but the other 16 have all been brought to the sanctuary in the past few months. Jane said: “We normally have a few here at any given time but this is much more than usual – it is almost too much for us to handle.