Ferret fundraising fete held

December 7th, 2009

	THE DAILY GLEANER/ALEXANDRA DAVIS PHOTO A merry ferret Christmas: Ferret owners Aletha Dobie, left, and Ashley Galantai, right, brought their ferrets Diego, Chewy, Fred and Farley to the ferret Christmas frolic for a visit with Santa Claus, played by Allister Graham.

By ALEXANDRA DAVIS
The Daily Gleaner

It was a ferret free-for-all at Fredericton's first Christmas ferret frolic.

The event was organized by the Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada, a group of ferret enthusiasts who perform ferret rescues, set up ferret adoptions and offer advice and education about the pets they love.

The frolic took place at The Barking Lot, a specialty pet food store on Hanwell Road, on Sunday afternoon.

Aletha Dobie, a Ferret Lovers Society board member, said the event was the second fundraiser the group has organized, which also held a ferret picnic during the summer.

Dobie said she owns five ferrets.

She said they get along well with her two cats and two dogs and she finds owning ferrets to be rewarding.

"They're very unique animals," she said.

"They're a lot of fun and they're very playful."

Dobie said the Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada is a small group and has only been operating for about a year and a half.

Almost 20 ferrets and their owners attended the ferret frolic, which featured ferret-themed games and fundraisers.

Dobie said the money raised from the event will help in future ferret rescues.

She said sometimes outside intervention is necessary to save ferrets when their owners are no longer able to properly care for them.

Ashley Galantai, another board member, said the activities at the ferret frolic were sure to keep the ferrets entertained.

She said they tend to be social animals.

"We have a ferret playpen, we're taking pictures with Santa and we have some ferret competitions," she said.

There was also a bake sale with treats for the ferret owners and a silent auction.

Galantai said that while veterinary bills for her pets can be costly and most ferrets don't live for more than eight years, the rewards she gets from owning ferrets outweigh any problems associated with the animals.

She said owning a ferret isn't for everyone and it's important that potential owners research proper ferret care.

"They're not caged animals," she said. "They are expensive and they don't live very long, but the time you have with them is worth it."

For more information about the Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada, visit www.flsatlanticcanada.org.