Back with her 'Buddy': Missing (and misnamed) ferret reunited with owner in Portsmouth

Foster's Daily Democrat

	McMahon/Democrat photo Portsmouth resident Whitney Topliffe, 24, reacts after getting her pet ferret "Buddy" back Wednesday afternoon after he somehow got out of her downtown apartment and onto State Street.

April 15, 2010
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PORTSMOUTH — "Buddy" the friendly and famous ferret found downtown by police Monday night was reunited with his owner Wednesday afternoon.

After nearly two days of being away from his home on Chestnut Street, the furry creature — originally thought to be a female and affectionately renamed "Buttercup" by the police officer who found him — was reunited with a much-relieved Whitney Topliffe at the police station Wednesday afternoon.

The 24-year old downtown resident said her pet is three years old and has a partner-in-crime waiting at home for him named "Roscoe," another ferret. Topliffe said she bought "Buddy" at a Petco when he was first born and characterized him as rambunctious and most certainly the troublemaker of the two.

"Buddy is the mischievous one," she said.

Topliffe said her pet most likely got free after someone failed to latch her apartment door all the way and the little critter is capable of pulling the door open by scratching at the base of the door until it opens.

She said not only did he negotiate her second-floor apartment door, but he also somehow was able to find his way out of the front door of the apartment building.

After learning he was gone, Topliffe said she posted a sign on her fence, updated her Facebook status and had her roommate and boyfriend looking for the ferret all day on Tuesday. Late Tuesday night Topliffe said she got a call from her neighbor informing her of police searching for the owner of a missing ferret

"Sure enough, it was Buddy," she said.

Together with her roommate's ferret, Topliffe said her household has a total three ferrets and one Yorkie named Alex who enjoy a variety of toys, tunnels and a huge cage. Her favorite part about being a ferret owner is how they "bounce around" when they play and how they tend to try and mimic her dog when playing with it.

She said as a result of "Buddy's" mischievous ways, he will most likely not be allowed to enjoy the independence he once had and will be subjected to wearing the leash she uses to walk him more often.

Topliffe said she wishes she could thank the police officer who found "Buddy"— Detective Kuffer Kaltenborn — for his thoughtfulness to not just let the ferret roam free on the streets.

"Thank you very much for finding "Buddy," I really appreciate it," she said in a message to Kaltenborn.

Kaltenborn came across the ferret while responding to an unrelated and possibly serious assault call Monday night. After coaxing the ferret into his arms, the police detective said he brought him to the police station where he made many friends and was even fed fruit and water from other police officers.

Kaltenborn is no stranger to encounters with domesticated animals. Last year the police detective came across two parrots wandering downtown on two separate occasions.

Upon learning that he inadvertently mislabeled "Buddy" as a female, Kaltenborn issued his apologies to the ferret and wished him and his owner well.