It's a Ferret Life

Ferrets are the third most popular pets in the Las Vegas Valley and their numbers are increasing. But some owners are finding them difficult to keep, and the only ferret shelter in town is closing.

The older ferrets get, the more attention and special care they need, which is when a lot of owners choose to get rid of them. Until now, most of those unwanted ferrets ended up in the only ferret shelter in Las Vegas.

"For the first year we rescued 250 ferrets and after that it's been 375 to 400 a year," said CJ Jones, owner of 24 Carat Ferret.

For nearly a decade, CJ Jones has run 24 Carat Ferret, the only ferret shelter in the Vegas area.

"It's been nine years of do nothing by eat, breath and sleep ferrets; I've done everything I could," said Jones.

Hardly an easy job, most of her animals are returned or unwanted pets, a good number are sick, and some are even paralyzed, but now the financial strain, and other factors, are forcing her to close the operation.

"Probably a third to half of the patients that I see are ferrets, so they're quite popular," said Dr. Christine Kolmstetter.

Kolmstetter is a vet who specializes in exotic animals. She says if the 24 Carat Ferret Closes, hundreds of unwanted animals may have no place to go.

"They really shouldn't be kept with the dogs or the cats or the reptiles or the birds in a shelter situation; it's really not good for any of these animals to be housed together," said Kolmstetter

Jones still has a couple dozen she's trying to adopt out, the others she'll likely keep. It's those she can no longer take in that she's worried about.

"They're going to end up - I don't want to think about it; it haunts me," said Jones.

Unfortunately a lot of these animals will likely be euthanized. Jones says if someone offers to start their own ferret shelter after she's gone, she'd be happy to help them any way she can.

24 Carat Ferret isn't taking any more animals, but they can offer referrals to people who may be able to help. If you'd like to reach them, visit their website at http://www.24kferret.com/.