What We Did

Due to circumstances beyond our control, this rescue was closed in July 2008. During our existence, South Staffs Ferret Rescue worked closely with the R.S.P.C.A taking ferrets in through all kinds of circumstances. Most were strays, some were signed over to the R.S.P.C.A because their owners could no longer keep them and others through neglected cases.

We took ferrets from a wide area which included the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire and Wales. We also took in stray ferrets from the members of the public.

From the moment a ferret was brought in it was assessed to see if it had any injuries, parasites (ticks being the most common) and to see what it's temperement was like. If need be the animal was treated with a wash and brush up! and was put in one of the pens in the main sheds.

We kept all stray ferrets for ten days and if not claimed by then, they were neutered and put forward for adoption.

Some ferrets that came to us had disabilities or bad temperaments which mean they could not be adopted. So they lived out their lives here at the rescue. We never had a healthy animal put to sleep. In most cases, ferrets with bad temperaments often settled down after a while with plenty of handling and became just as friendly as the others.

Once a ferret was neutered, after a rest bite period, we tried to pair them up so that they got other ferret company. Most ferrets are very sociable and enjoy a play mate however we always got some that were just happy to live alone.

To try and get the word across and give ferrets good press instead of bad (as they often get) we did talks to different organisations and took them along so that they could see just how fantastic ferrets really are.

Running the rescue was very rewarding, especially when a ferret came to us in a terrible state, (see "Rooney's story") and we could then work on getting it back to good health and see it adopted. You just know we always spoilt them rotten and gave them loads of cuddles. Which made it all worth while.