MP’s dog savages pet polecat

Monday, August 21st, 2006 at 6:53 am

I saw this article at the end of last week and didn’t want to read it, as I knew I would be so upset at the thought of someone’s pet ferret (the English refer to sable ferrets as polecats) being savaged by a dog.

But then I thought, no … it’s important to make a point to ALL ferret owners who take their pets walkabout.

Please, please, please ALWAYS pick up your ferret if you see a dog nearby. Even if you have a terrier living at home which is your ferret’s best buddy, a strange dog will not have the same sense of friendliness towards a ferret, obviously!

It is so important to emphasize the fact that if you’re out and about with your ferret on a harness, you should never leave it on the ground if you see a dog approaching.

Accidents do happen. Dogs can pull away from their owners and dart towards another animal and – tragically, as in this case – can easily kill them.

A horrible story and I am so sorry to have to include it in my blog but if this helps to save one ferret in the future, then I’m happy.

By Martin Neville

ISLAND MP Andrew Turner has apologised after his out-of-control terrier savaged a pet polecat to death at the IW County Show.It took four people and a bucket of cold water to get Bert, a nine-year-old Jack Russell rescue dog, off Socks the polecat after the terrier broke free from Mr Turner.

Bert reverted to his natural instincts while visiting the show at the weekend with Mr Turner.

The dog bolted after catching sight of the four-year-old polecat, being walked around the showground on a harness.

Mr Turner, Tory shadow minister for charities and a former party vice-chairman, said he very much regretted the incident and had apologised to the owner, Patricia Price, a member of the Isle of Wight Ferret Club, which was organising ferret racing at the Northwood showground.