By Damien Pearse
The Argus
May 14, 2007
Madcap Lara Young is forking out an extra £30 a week on luxury groceries - to feed her 39 ferrets.
Lara has turned her home in Eastbourne into a sanctuary for the creatures, complete with tiny hammocks and an exercise yard.
The 33-year-old even shares her bath with the sharp-toothed pets and takes them for walks on a lead in the local park.
The pets are treated to tasty meals including baked salmon, pan-fried steak and ice cream as well as fresh fruit, raisins and snacks.
Lara also spends hours tidying up her home every week because the ferrets run riot in her lounge, toppling over her DVDs and burrowing into her settee and under her carpet.
One one occasion she nursed one of the baby pets back to health keeping it buried under her top for two weeks to keep it warm, even sleeping with the sick animal.
"They are just the best pets about and so much fun," Lara said.
"They're like little kittens with massive amounts of energy - great little personalities."
Lara has names for all the animals including the Gravy babies - Bisto, Bovril and Oxo.
She housed one of the animals - Harmony - after the creature was discovered running down the street in Seaford.
"I started off with one and the number just grew and grew," the mother-of-one said.
"They're good company but they lead a chaotic life to say the least."
The ferrets sleep for between 18 and 20 hours a day in miniature hammocks but run wild when they are awake, tearing through the house in quiet Attfield Walk.
Lara shops at A22 Pets and spends £120 a month on food. She now helps to rehouse and rescue ferrets and works for the Gem Ferret Care Group.
The group offers advice on caring for ferrets and puts on shows across the country.
Anyone wishing to contact the group can log onto the their website at www.gemferret.co.uk
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