SO YOU WANT TO ADOPT A FERRET?

The Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada is a non-profit ferret rescue organization.  We arrange adoptions for ferrets who have lost their homes.  We have a number of local rescues available for adoption.  We also work with our sister organizations The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa & Area (FRSO) and Massachusetts Ferret Friends (MaFF) to screen adoption applicants for suitability to provide forever homes for their rescue/shelter ferrets. 
We highly recommend that you purchase Ferrets for Dummies by Kim Schilling or Ferrets (Animal Planet Pet Care Library) by Vickie Mckimmey and download for free The Ferret Owners Manual by Dick Bossart (www.miamiferret.org/ferret_manual.pdf) as basic reference manuals.  Ferrets for Dummies is relatively inexpensive and can be ordered through Amazon.ca or ordered through your local book store if not on the store’s shelf. There are a number of other excellent resource manuals available and we encourage you to research as much as possible about ferrets before making the decision to adopt one. 

Ferrets are not for everyone.  They live on average 6-8 years. They are playful, engaging, extremely intelligent and high maintenance animal companions requiring a minimum of 2 - 4 hours per day out of cage time with you.  Veterinary costs run high and are a necessary component of having a ferret because ferrets are prone to a host of illnesses, especially as they age.  If you cannot afford the necessary veterinary care, please consider getting another type of animal companion.

They have a pleasant natural musky scent.  If you find their natural scent unpleasant (and some people do), do not get a ferret.

We arrange transports from FRSO and MaFF several times a year depending on availability of volunteers.  You may have to wait a few weeks or several months to get your new fur family member.  Before we approve your application there are several steps that you need to take.

Adoption Application

The first step in our adoption process is to fill out an adoption application.  This gives us a profile of our applicant and whether you are an experienced ferret owner or new to ferrets.  After your application is received it will be reviewed and you will be contacted by an adoption coordinator to arrange for a Pre-screen Interview. 

 Pre-screen Interview

The next step in our adoption process is for an adoption coordinator to have an informal chat with you.  This step is usually conducted by telephone and takes from 5 - 15 minutes. 

You will be asked a number of questions which will help us to get to know you better and to get an idea of how much you know about ferrets.  It also allows us to assess your current lifestyle (i.e. children[1], other pets, etc.) and will help us to find an appropriate match for your family.

 In-home Assessment

The third step is the in-home visit.  Whenever possible an adoption coordinator will meet with you and your family in your home.  This visit can be helpful for both the first time ferret owner and 'old hands' alike.  We are adept at helping you to prepare your home for a new ferret! 

During the in-home visit we are more than happy to answer any ferret-care questions you have and we will also assist you in identifying areas of your home which may require ferret-proofing.

Eligibility for adoption is determined with the best interests of the ferret in mind.  Sometimes following a home visit we may decide that we have a wonderful potential family for one of our ferrets, however, there may need to be some changes made in the home before it is safe for a ferret. 

Experienced ferret owners understand the need for ferret proofing.  People new to ferrets may not realize what needs to be done.  We may ask you to make some changes before bringing your ferret home, for example, putting up a baby gate to the kitchen area.

Available ferrets

Once your application has been approved, one of our adoption coordinators will discuss which ferret(s) are currently available and might be a good match for your home. If you have expressed interest in a particular ferret that will be the one we consider first.

When arranging long-distance placements our adoption process is more stringent to make certain a good match is made between ferrent (you) and ferret/s.  You may be offered a couple of different ferrets to choose from. 

 Once you have selected your new family member(s) we ask that you purchase basic things for your new family member in advance of your fuzzy being placed with you, i.e., suitable cage and accessories, high quality ferret food, etc.  The transition from foster home to forever home will go better for the ferret if everything he/she needs is already in place the day of arrival.

 Finalizing the adoption

An adoption coordinator will make arrangements to finalize the adoption when you either pick up your new fur family member or when he/she is delivered to you.  We will ask you to sign an adoption contract and pay the adoption fee at this time.  

 Adoption fees and policies vary between the organizations:

FLSAC: $100.00 per ferret, which includes veterinary health check and Distemper vaccination.  There is some flexibility with fees if the person is willing to take a special needs ferret or a senior (4 or older).

FRSO: $100.00 for Atlantic Canada residents, which includes ADV test.  FRSO do not as a policy vaccinate their ferrets.  Fees may be less for ferrets over 4 years of age or those with special needs.  FRSO require that any ferrets you have in home test negative for ADV. http://www.ferretrescue.ca/adopt.php

MaFF (USD): All animals (except where noted) are in good health, and come with all of their shots. Adoption fees are determined by each individual shelter operator, but generally adoption fees are $75 for singles, $125 for pairs of ferrets under 4 years of age.  Ferrets over 4 years of age are $50 for a single ferret or $90 for a pair.  This includes rabies and distemper vaccinations.  All ferrets have been checked by a vet, and are in good health at the time of this writing except where specifically noted.

http://www.maferrets.org/shelter/foster.php

 Please note: there are generally more ferrets available for adoption than posted on the websites.  The websites are run by volunteers and newly available ferrets may not get on the website for several weeks.

 

[1] We do not place ferrets into homes with young children, i.e., 5 years of age or younger.  This is for the protection of the child as well as the ferret.  A young child does not have the developmental cognitive ability to know what might be hurtful to a small animal.  They also lack emotional control and consequently may drop, throw, squeeze or step on a ferret accidentally.  A frightened ferret or one who feels threatened will bite and may cause serious injury to a young child.