REHOMING FEES: THE NEW TERM FOR "FOR SALE"?

A Typical Scenerio:

I walk into a local pet store with my 5-year-old in tow. We pick up some Iams and some catnip for Fluffy, the cat. As we are headed to the register, we pass by a large tank with these adorable little critters wrestling comically. A couple of them are asleep, one piled on top of the other in the cutest position.

My 5-year-old and I both are mesmerized. A sales person wanders by and begins to answer a few of our questions. Yes, they are ferrets. Oh, no, they are quite friendly and inquisitive. Easy to care for? Of course, no problems. They sleep most of the time. Sure, they can be litter trained. As a matter fact, yes, they are on sale. And we have these cages over here....

My 5-year-old is jumping up and down, begging me for the odd little animal. My child is brighter and much more mature than most 5-year-olds and we did promise him we'd get him a guinea pig for his birthday. He wants the ferret, instead, so why not give him what he wants?

Only twenty minutes later, we are headed out to the minivan, my 5-year-old skipping and singing happily behind me as I push the shopping cart loaded with one baby ferret, a large box with an "easy-to-assemble" ferret cage, some food, treats, a brush, a collar and leash, a couple of toys, a sleep hammock, water bottle, food crock, litter pan, litter, ferret vitamins and some coat conditioner. The clerk suggested this book about ferrets, but I don't have a lot of time to read, being the mom of a small child and all ~ I am very busy. Besides, the sales clerk answered all my questions. And I did just hand over my credit card for $ 346.27. I'm not spending an extra $20 on a book I don't think I need...

We get home and I put my now cranky 5-year-old down for a nap and proceed to put the cage together. Several hours later, our new little fuzzy is all settled in his home. My 5-year-old names him Bandit. Everyone is so happy. Except the cat, who is pouting with jealousy. I clean my purse out later and take a quick glance at the paperwork the pet store gave me when we purchased Bandit. Oh, it's just the information the clerk already told me. I don't need this. I trash the paperwork. I don't notice it told me that ferrets need distemper vaccines, just like dogs or cats. I don't read the part about how I must ferret-proof my home and supervise my 5-year-old when he plays with Bandit.

It's six months later. My husband is working overtime and I'm doing my best to keep the house in order. My child has dropped the ferret a couple of times. Thank God they are agile. He also keeps leaving the cage door open and the ferret gets loose. One night we thought we'd lost him for good. Oh, and there's the smell. My husband is really complaining about that. I can't help it, the darn ferret won't always go to the litter box and I'm finding poop everywhere. It's just too much for me to deal with.

Bandit is very sweet and loving and so cute. But I'm so worried my kid is going to let him out. I'm tired of hearing my husband complain about the smell. And, you know, I am just too busy to take care of him. Yes, I think it's time to rehome him. But, oh, I don't want just anyone to take him. Bandit must go to a good home. (And I need to recover some of my costs --- I mean look at how much money I've spent on this animal !)

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Except for the last line, this is just one of a kazillion stories I read and hear constantly. People acquire a ferret on some spur-of-the-moment whim, falling in love with the fur and nose and little cute ears. They do no research. They don't think. The sales people in the pet stores are there to do one thing: sell. They are not going to tell the potential buyer that it takes about $600-$800/ year to care for a ferret. They don't mention the potential emergency vet bill that could add up to as much as $ 1200 if the ferret gets ill. In fact, they don't mention vet bills at all, which include distemper and rabies vaccines. And heartworm preventative. So, rarely, the ferret owner doesn't take the ferret to the vet. They never get their shots.

The ferret owner discovers how quick these little guys move and how smart they are. They jump up on the coffee table and knock over the crystal vase holding fresh roses and water. They burrow in the clean laundry and sleep. They shed. They poop in corners. Even letter box trained, they will choose to poo in other spots, because it's fun. They will steal your wallet and hide it under the bed.

And now the ferret owner realizes they didn't know that ferrets were so _________ (fill in the blank). So they feign giving a s**t and put the poor little animal up on Craigs List (or similar 'sell your stuff ' site), giving some ridiculous "poor me" story, saying they want to "ensure a good home" for their pet. And they charge their "small rehoming fee" of $ 250 or $ 175 or $ 100....and they think that's OK.

Tell me: What is OK about irresponsibility? What is OK about refusing to educate yourself and really thinking about the commitment you are about to make to a living, helpless creature? Why is it OK to expect me to save you from that responsibility by taking on your animal you no longer want and expect me to pay you ??? If anything, you should pay me for getting you off the hook. You should pay me to cover the shots you never got, the heartworm preventative you never administered. You should pay me for my willingness to love and care for the poor little ferret who never asked to go home with you in the first place.

There are shelters and rescues who devote their lives and resources to the care of ferrets. They get vet care, medicines and good food. Volunteers spend time, funds and energy to help. The shelters and rescues will charge an adoption fee, which rarely even covers what expense is put in to care for these animals.

Individuals who try to dump there pet and make a buck cannot even be compared to a rescue. Their "rehoming fee" is a way of scamming animal lovers into giving them money. Don't do it. Go to a rescue or shelter. But, please, do your research. Look for information. Ask questions of people who are experienced with the animal you are interested in.

SAY NO TO REHOMING FEES & INDIVIDUALS SELLING THEIR PETS !!