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September-October 2017 Edition 4 17

Inside:

Black-Footed Ferrets: Babies!; New Documentary; Health: Laser Light Therapy; Shelter: Lots of Ferrets Seeking Homes!..and more.

CA Law Needs Action Both the California Senate and the Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill which would ban pet store sales of non-rescued dogs, cats and rabbits. It’s AB 485—the Pet Rescue & Adoption Act.

The bill stops sales of animals that come from high-volume breeding facilities. Any pet store that wants to sell dogs, cats or rabbits must work with a local rescue or shelter or face fines. AB 485 is designed to stop “puppy mills” and other abusive breeding operations as well as encourage adoption of pets from shelters. Every year California kills about half a million pets – their crime? Having no home.

AB 485 is on Governor Brown’s desk. He has until October 15 to sign it into law or veto it.

California AB 485 would be landmark legislation for animal welfare. This statewide law could lead to more states banning sales of commercially-bred animals. Lawmakers in other states LOVE having “precedent” they can point to as they decide on new legislation.

Why does this matter to ferrets? Because even though ferrets aren’t allowed in California, an innovative bill like AB 485 can be used to draft legislation in ANY state that does include animals such as ferrets, guinea pigs, reptiles, and exotic birds.

FACT believes this is good government policy and urges you to take action. Unfortunately, the Law of Politics states that if you aren’t a voter in a district or state,

your voice is pretty much worthless. HOWEVER if you live in California, it’s important that you contact Governor Brown and ask him to sign this bill as soon as possible. If you know anyone in California, ask they to contact him, too. The pet store industry is already fighting and lobbying for their profits. They have money…but YOU have a voice. Make it matter!

PHONE CALLS WORK BEST! Gov. Brown’s phone number is (916) 445-2841. ALL anyone has to do is state their name, full address, that they are calling about AB

485 and are asking the Governor to sign it into law. If you have time on the answering machine or you actually get through to staff, feel free to say why it’s important . “I love animals and I want to see shelter pets all find loving homes” is a simple statement.

Calendars Those not on our Foster mail list will be receiving our annual gift to members and donors—the 2018 FACT calendar featuring our Poster Ferret for this year:Bebe! We hope all enjoy it and can celebrate her beauty without feeling her sharp little teeth. VERY special thanks to Keven Cormack for his great photography & edit skills.

Facebook Auction There WILL be a fundraising auction held sometime in the next six weeks at the site, Ferret Assn of CT Fundraisers. We have a lot of terrific goodies that Vanessa is anxious

to get OUT of her house and INTO yours, like her original latchhook Ferret Face wall hanging (shown), retired statues, and one of the Mutts comic prints featuring a ferret that she sneakily squirreled away. The ONLY problem is we’re not sure exactly when it will start & finish since this is super-busy annual mailing season for her, so please keep an eye on Facebook and/or your email for the announcement.

Event Calendar Interested in becoming certified for pet CPR & first aid? Classes are held throughout the country and online. Visit:

petcpr.petemergencyeducation.com

October

October 7 - Greatest Ferret Show on Earth, St. Charles, IL. Sponsored by Greater Chicago Ferret Association. Website: http://gfsoe.weebly.com/ Contact: [email protected]

October 9-12 – Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference, Atlantic City, NJ. www. Acvc.org for info.

October 11-15 – Wild West Veterinary Conference, Las Vegas, NV. www.wildwestvc.com for info.

October 15—Danbury Pet Expo, Candlewood Park, Danbury, CT. (Rain date 10/22). See image upper right ; for more info visit danburypetexpo.com.

October 27—ACO Training, Stratford, CT. Co-sponsored by FACT.

October 28 – Dooktoberfest, Lovettsville, VA. Sponsored by AFA & Wild Weezil Women On Wine Contact: 1-888-FERRET-1 or [email protected]

November

November 1-7—National Shelter Appreciation Week, nationwide. Keep an eye on your newspaper comics section for Patrick McDonnell’s Mutts annual Shelter Stories strips. And don’t forget to bring your favorite shelter mom some chocolate.

November 3—ACO Training, Stratford, CT. Co-sponsored by FACT.

November 11-12—CT Pet Expo, XL Center, Hartford, CT. Visit familypetshows.com for info.

December Date To Be announced: FACT Open House & Store Sale, Hartford, CT.

December 2 – AFA Winter Nationals, Middletown, MD. Contact: 1-888-FERRET-1 or [email protected]

Code before a listing means this is an item of special interest to ferret owners or local residents.

Paw Printz is published

5 times a year by the

Ferret Association

of Connecticut, Inc.

14 Sherbrooke Ave. Hartford, CT 06106

860.247.1275 ferretassn.org

Editor L. Vanessa Gruden

Original articles or enclosures may be reproduced in their entirety provided

that proper credit is given to the author(s), source(s) and Paw Printz. For

permission to use any other material, please contact the author(s) directly.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the

author and do not necessarily

represent the opinions of this publication, the

editor, or of FACT.

Publication Dates

Feb/Mar Feb. 1 Apr/May April 1 Jun/Jul June 1 Aug/Sept Aug. 1 Oct/Nov Oct. 1 Dec/Jan Dec. 1

(One Double Issue per year)

Renewal &

Subscription Information

Your subscription to Paw Printz expires on the date shown

on your mailing label. Annual

subscription is $25 for new members, $20 for renewal.

FACT Board of Directors

Glen Farney, President Roxanne Bernier, Secretary Connie Martin, Acting Treasurer Ann Baker Salafia, Member Della Farney, DVM, Member Kevin Cormack, Member

Advisory Members Wil Barrios, DVM Cynthia Petrauskas, DVM

President Emeritus Ann Gruden

Any member interested in Advisory or Board membership is invited to inquire. Meetings are open to interested FACT members.

Your love for ferrets can live on and on.

You don’t need to be wealthy to create a plan to help these animals you love. Legacy, or planned giving,

gfts are simple and easy. Be it a bequest in your will, a share of life

insurance or an IRA , property like a house or car, or a more complex arrangement, the only way the

ferrets lose is if you don’t do it. We don’t want to lose our friends but

when the inevitable happens, you will know you’ve left a parting gift

behind. Please talk to us about your options for continuing to care for

ferrets.

Paw Printz - Edition 4 17 – September-October 2017

Ann Gruden - Webmaster, Facebook Sale Coordinator. Ann Salafia—Ferret Rescue & Transport. Barbara Podann – Shelter Volunteer & Ferret Playmate. Pat Shaskin—Newspaper Collection/Delivery. Glen Farney—Construction Management & Computer Support. Roxanne Bernier—Shot & Implant Assistance. Della Farney—Vaccine Assistance. Cindy Petraukas—Vaccine & Emergency Medical Assistance. Kary Fontaine—Shelter Volunteer & Ferret Playmate. Kevin Cormack—Photographer Extraordinaire. Doreen August—Shelter Volunteer & Ferret Playmate. Uma Yati Devidasi —Facebook & Craiglist Adoption Promoter. Leonardo Pegeus—Shelter Volunteer & Ferret Playmate. Stephanie Maldonado—Shelter Volunteer & Ferret Playmate. FACT Staff: L. Vanessa Gruden—Executive Director.

ONGOING VOLUNTEERS

Thanks to all of you

for helping!

Volunteer & Member News

It’s been a year since volunteer Leonardo Pageus began helping at the shelter. Leonardo is a student majoring in math at the University of Hartford. His family lives really close to us and actu-ally had ferrets when he was younger. So when he was assigned to a class group that chose to do a project on animal shelters, FACT was a great fit. His report was finished before the semester ended, but Leo-nardo has continued to come by nearly every Sunday morning. He says it’s a nice way to end the week. Leonardo is known for his patience when being bit. First An-gela, now Bebe, find him an irresistible target for sharp little teeth. From my office, I often hear a soft, “Ow. Ow.” He puts up with a lot more than I do! I sometimes unthinkingly swat at unex-pected tooth needles sunk into my ankle but he just moves them away gently. As a small token of our appreciation, we gave Leonardo this shirt with a quote by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, which we hope made him The Coolest Guy in the Room in his Physics class.

Hurricane Damage We’re sorry to report that Hurricane Harvey affected one of our donors, Marie Dreiss Wilcox of Houston. Marie’s home was flooded with two feet of water, but thankfully no one was hurt. She has found a nearby rental home but was forced to adopt her ferret Oscar to nearby ferret club members. Hopefully soon Marie be back home and able to have a ferret again. Millie Sanders of Texas Ferret Lovers shelter was not affect-ed by Harvey, but we understand our friends at the Broward Fer-ret Rescue in Florida had a few rough nights riding out Irma. We’re glad to hear the shelter sustained no damage and is up and running again.

Buried in ferrets! Please see page 4 for the many in need of homes.


Ferrets For Adoption

Tavros & Morgan: Adopted out in 2013 as youngsters less than a year old, they were returned because the owner decided to become pregnant. Now 4, the likelihood of finding an adoptive home for these boys is slim. Morgan is dark sable with big eyes. Tavros is a dark-eyed white who needs periodic gruel. AVAILABLE FOR FOSTERING.

Bebe: Pretty Bebe is 1-2 years old. She is white with a wicked spot on the top of her head. Bebe was wrestled away from a family with multiple pet species, 6 kids and a 7th on the way, by a social worker. They never let her out of the cage because she bit. So, of course, she came to us bitey AND scared. She has improved and LOVES to run & play & dook. She does get along well with most other ferrets. Be very experienced, please!

Clyde: Soft Clyde arrived with a friend, Aurora. They had been obtained by someone who said the original owner was starving them. Aurora had a nas-ty, nasty mast cell tumor on her chest and never really became well despite surgery. Clyde (shown at right) is 3-4. A sable guy with a little white bib, he likes some ferrets, squabbles with others. AVAILABLE FOR FOSTERING.

Clover & Poppy: Pair of girls, about 1-1.5 years old. Clover is a soft, sable roan and Poppy is a pretty petite badger girl. Poppy is a “water-splasher!” She was timid but has learned to fight back & will actually beat up Bebe.

Kramden & Norton: Part of a group of 5 ferrets abandoned alongside the road. The kind rescuers decided to keep 2; one poor little guy had already been run over when they were found. Both sables, these guys are sweeties about 1-1.5 years old.

Colby & Brie: A pair of little ferrets! Colby is a male chocolate mitt, perhaps 2-3 years old. Brie is a dark pewter who we think is barely a year. Brie can be a little yippy with others, so they’d be best in a home without other ferrets.

Ursa: ANOTHER Bear, renamed. Ursa is a dark-eyed white of at least 5. He’s a big guy who likes other ferrets but is inclined to chew on their ears. AVAILABLE FOR FOSTERING.

Rhea & Zeus #1: A happy pair of youngsters, Rhea is a bouncy sable only 8 months old. Zeus is a cham-pagne guy about 1 1/2 years. We were told the family was moving, but suspect there was some teenaged neglect of ferret care involved. Rhea LOVES to stash toys!

Zeus #2 & Zorro: So who’d have guessed we have two Zeus’ here at the same time? Both boys are sables 11 months old. Zorro has the brightest white mittens you’ll ever see! Zeus is a little smaller. They are good boys who love each other but also get along well with other ferrets. Both, however, tend to be constantly under your feet (worse than most other ferrets). Their owner was having family health issues AND being forced out the house she was renting because of a foreclosure.

Pepo & Pepa: Cute pair that arrived because their owner was moving. Pepo is an albino boy and Pepa is a chubby sable girl. Both are close to 2 years old. Pepo is particularly active & bouncy!

Above: Kramden & Norton. Below left: Zeus #1 & Rhea. Below right: Zorro & Zeus #2. All Photos: Kevin Cormack.


Ferret News Updates

Life is Good in Ferret-Friendly La Mesa By Liz Swain. Reprinted from SandiegoReader.com, September 29, 2017. Edited for space.

Although the La Mesa City Council on September 26 rejected the appellation “Ferret-Friendly City” for their town, councilmembers agreed to write letters to support changing state law to allow ownership of domestic ferrets as pets. In addition, the council may later issue a proclamation in favor of ferrets.

Vice mayor Kristine Alessio and councilman Bill Baber scheduled discussion of the Ferret-Friendly City designation proposed by La Mesa resident Pat Wright, head of the Legalize Ferrets campaign. He and some 20 ferret enthusiasts attended the meeting wearing T-shirts with the picture of a yawning ferret in a hammock and the statement “Life is Good in Ferret-Friendly La Mesa.”

On September 26, Wright said council support “could bump us over the edge” and persuade a state lawmaker to introduce a bill legalizing ferrets. Assemblyman Randy Voepel’s name was mentioned during discussion with the council. Alessio spoke of the large number of people supporting ferrets, and Baber suggested issuing a proclamation. Their colleagues agreed to write letters but rejected linking ferrets to the city.

Ferret discussion began at 9:05 p.m., three hours and five minutes after the meeting started. The matter was quickly dispensed with, and ferret enthusiasts were jubilant.

This year, Wright said he used the term “sanctuary city” to grab attention. He acknowledged negative reaction to the designation and praised the council for their support. He’s hopeful about legislative action in 2018.

“Governor Jerry Brown has done some good.” Wright spoke to assemblyman Todd Gloria, and senator Scott Wiener is “supportive but won’t introduce a bill.”

La Mesan Kristin Hamilton has been involved in the legalization campaign for approximately six months. Her fondness for ferrets started because “a friend in high school had one — I fell in love.” Furthermore, she’s allergic to cats and wanted a social pet. She brought two ferrets home about a year ago.

“I contacted Pat because I want to try to move the process along. Ferrets have been fully domesticated since the 19th century. There are ferrets in Victorian paintings. They’re sweet, lovable animals.”

Charlie Hammerton & Bandit’s Walk for PTSD It was great to see several FACT friends donate to Charlie & Bandit’s fundraiser to raise money for Combat Stress after our notes here, on Facebook, and in an enews. They successfully raised over their goal of £1,000! Charlie’s Update: “WE HAVE DONE IT!!! Thank you so much to all our amazing followers, fans and others who have donated. We are going to take a break now for a few weeks, but stay tuned for our next event this Christmas. See you all in London! Bandit (and Charlie).

Feral Ferrets in Guernsey? After the plethora of ferret news that we reported on earlier this year coming out of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, a member asked me to look into whether they actually had a colony of feral ferrets.

I have NO doubt the manager of the local SPCA, Steve Byrne, thought I was odd for my many questions, even after explaining why it could be news with implications for ferret legalization elsewhere. But he kindly answered.

Guernsey is only 60 square miles and, he said, in an average year the SPCA helps 20-50 ferrets. They are found loose or may be the victims of traffic accidents. He believes all are escaped pets or from “rabbiters” - people who breed and use them to hunt. Although they encourage microchipping, he noted those that chip tend to be the people who DON’T lose their ferrets. (Some things are universal.)

There are no native polecats on the island, Steve explained, so all those found are domestic ferrets, not polecat hybrids. Nor are there any native weasels in Guernsey. He replied that all the ferrets were friendly when rescued by his staff so they do not appear to be feral, but have been regularly handled.

He told me that the island has no natural predators, like foxes, and there is plenty of food for escapees such as wild rabbits, ducks, or chickens, which people normally allow loose in their yards. The several news articles in 2016 were primarily a case of the media widely circulating an interesting story; it really wasn’t a big problem locally. He did note that a couple ferrets had been “worrying livestock” which led me to (easily!) imagine them chasing sheep, but apparently it was more people complaining about ferrets harassing and preying on their chickens.

Never let it be said FACT doesn’t go the extra mile to satisfy our readers’ - and our - curiosity!


Law & Order Hundreds of Exotic Animals Found Locked Up in Woman’s Home By Natalie O’Neill. September 22, 2017, reprinted from the New York Post

Hundreds of animals, many of them exotic snakes and lizards, were found crammed in an upstate woman’s house, according to a report Friday. A total of 343 of the critters — which also included caged ferrets, rabbits, and tortoises — were pulled from the wild Lockport home of Sue McNaught Thursday, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office told Buffalo News.

Many of the creatures were starved and stuffed in small cages with poor ventilation, according to animal welfare officials, who also removed dogs, cats — and about 250 rodents. “And I’ve never in my life seen a skinny rat, but the rats were emaciated. They had withheld food for so long that they were actually cannibalizing one another,” SPCA of Niagara Executive Director Amy Lewis told the paper.

She added, “Many of these animals had some medical conditions. The snakes are very thin and dehydrated because they were living in moldy enclosures…There were quite a bit of respiratory ailments with those,” she said. Others had bad injuries. “There was a hedgehog that had an infected wound on its head that had not been treated,” she added.

McNaught, who runs the Celtic Canine Motivational Dog Training center, was hit with charges for failing to properly care for animals, Lewis said. Her daughter, Bethany, faces the same charges. Ferrets, quails and other birds were also housed in the hellish close quarters, Lewis said.

The town’s building inspector condemned the residence and changed the locks not long after the bust, according to the paper.

Dead Animals Left on Lawn Lead Deputies to take Kids, 17 Pets By Samantha House. Reprinted from Syracuse.com, October 4, 2017

National Grid workers were on a call Tuesday in LaFayette [NY] when they found two dead animals on a front lawn, deputies said. The animals' bodies were left in cages in front of 3384 Route 11, said Sgt. Jon Seeber, an Onondaga County Sheriff's Office spokesman. They were so decomposed that it was impossible to tell what kind of animals they were, he said.

Deputies were called to the home at 3:40 p.m. When they arrived, deputies discovered three children and more than a dozen animals were living in "deplorable" conditions, Seeber said. Insects -- including fleas and ticks -- had infested the inside of the feces-covered home, he said.

The homeowner, Melissa Spencer, was charged with endangering the welfare of the children who lived in her home and animal cruelty.

Workers with the Central New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals responded to the home to help remove 17 animals. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, pet rats, ferrets and guinea pigs were taken from the residence, Seeber said.

Due to the condition of the home, Onondaga County Child Protective Services workers also responded. The children are staying with a family friend, Seeber said. LaFayette's code officer has deemed the Route 11 home uninhabitable, Seeber said.

Deputies charged Spencer with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. The SPCA charged her with animal cruelty. Spencer was released from custody on an appearance ticket, Seeber said. She is due to appear in LaFayette Town Court on Oct. 25.

Editor Update: Ann Gruden dropped a note with this article to a shelter contact in upstate New York, Lakewood Farm. Shelter director Brenda Johnson told us one of her volunteers regularly works with the animal facility where the ferrets were sent and that they are often transferred to Lakewood, but since they originated in a different country that made things a little more complicated. When criminal charges are filed, also, it can mean the animals must be held as evidence until the trial, although enlightened judges can waive that requirement and release the animals for adoption.

On the far left, a blue and white guinea pig cage is visible.(Onondaga County Sheriff's Office)

C


Law & Order, ctd. West Hartford Man Charged in Kitten Death Compiled from articles in the Hartford Courant, various reporters, September 21-October 5, 2017

Corey McCall, 22, was charged with cruelty to animals, disorderly conduct, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and possession of marijuana after an incident where he killed a kitten and assaulted his girlfriend.

When officers arrived, they found one kitten dead and another severely injured. A few days earlier, McCall had assaulted his girlfriend and killed a pet rat in the same apartment. Both the rat and one kitten had been shot with a BB gun; the kitten twice and the pet rat six times. The other kitten died when McCall hit it with a remote control.

McCall, who had 5 prior domestic violence “incidents,” first had bail set at $150,000. It was reduced to $75,000 after a hearing at which his girlfriend attended to support him. She described herself “as a friend” of 10 years and stated “People who really know him know…how caring he can be.” Notably, part of his reduced bail agreement was an order to stay away from her. At the hearing, his attorney. Elizabeth Weiss, claimed the charg-es were “out of character” and “he does not have a violent tendency.”

The girlfriend’s statement to police described feeding her kitten Kronos when McCall “grabbed the TV re-mote and smacked Kronos in the head.” The kitten had seizures before dying. McCall threw her on the bed and also shot the other kitten. Earlier that week he had killed her 3-year old pet rat Mortimer. At one hearing, McCall “blew her [the girlfriend] a kiss.”

On October 3, prosecutor Danielle O’Connell changed the misdemeanor animal cruelty to felony charges after presenting vet radiology images of the shot animals. She said these incidents were intended “to install fear, power and control” over his girlfriend. The judge at this hearing raised McCall’s bond up to $125,000.

UConn law student Taylor Hansen, accompanied by a professor, applied and was approved to represent the animals in the case. Animal advocates in attendance were pleased to see the charge increased to felonies.

McCall’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 20.

Editor Note: Wow. Though this doesn’t involve ferrets, I reprinted this story because it is a classic case of animal abuse linked to human abuse.

You have a person with an apparent history of domestic violence using his current partner’s pets to exert control. You have the partner vacillating between action – reporting the actions to police – and submission – claiming the abuser was “not the person he was made out to be.” And you have the innocent victims caught between their dysfunc-tional dynamic – three little animals that didn’t deserve what happened to them.

It IS a major feat of progress that this case was taken seriously by the police, the prosecutor, and the court. And Desmond’s Law, the landmark CT legislation we’ve previously reported on that allows law students to advocate for animals, is working. The REAL test of our success as a humane civilization will be if Corey McCall does jail time for this crime. Kudos to those animal activists who have worked to make crimes against animals treated as “real” crimes.

Man Sentenced for Killing Pet Fish Associated Press, reprinted in The Hartford Courant, July 26, 2017

A Bristol, CT man has been sentenced to 120 days in jail after police say he cut a pet fish in half during a domestic dispute. 33-year-old Juan Vega pleaded guilty to breach of peace. As part of the plea deal, a charge of cruelty to animals was dropped.

Authorities say police responded to a call of domestic disturbance at a Bristol home on August 27. Police say Vega argued with a woman and damaged property at the residence. The woman’s 9-year-old son told offic-ers the family’s pet betta fish was killed.

The prosecutor says the fish killing “really did traumatize” the child.

Editor Note: The title of this article really isn’t correct, is it? Vega wasn’t jailed for killing the fish, but for the domes-tic disturbance. This is, unfortunately, the more common course of animal abuse cases…prosecutors go for the easier conviction. After all, it’s just a fish, right? Kind of makes you wonder if in the story above, the abuser had “only” shot the pet rat, would he be facing cruelty charges?

“We can't change the world for animals without changing our ideas about animals. We have to move from the idea that animals are things, tools, machines, commodities, resources here for our use to the

idea that as sentient beings they have their own inherent value and dignity.”

Andrew Linzey, interview, OneKind, June 21, 2011


Wild-Born BFF Kits Found Outside Of Meeteetse By Cooper McKim, Reprinted from Wyoming publicmedia.org, September 8, 2017

Wyoming biologists have spotted the first wild-born black-footed ferrets in over 35 years. They were found this week at a ranch outside of Meeteetse. The Game and Fish Department introduced a large number of black-footed ferrets at two ranches there last summer in hopes of developing self-sustaining populations.

The species is considered one of the most endangered mammals on the continent, even thought extinct for much of the 20th century. They’re also one of Wyoming’s six endangered animal species. But now, there are two sites in Wyoming that can boast successful habitats: Shirley Basin and an area outside of Meeteetse.

Zach Walker, supervisor for Wyoming Game and Fish's black-footed ferret program, said that’s a big deal. “With reproduction going on there, we’re showing different areas of the state can support these black-

footed ferrets and going towards meeting our recovery goals,” Walker said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service set the recovery goal at 341 ferrets in the state. Walker added the

department will continue developing the Meeteetse sites to best suit the ferrets' survival. That will include releasing smaller numbers of individuals into the population through next year.

Phoenix Zoo Shares Cute Photo of Ferret Litter Reprinted from 12news.com, July 27,2017

Now aren't they cute? Those who follow the Phoenix Zoo on Facebook got quite the treat Wednesday.

The zoo shared an adorable photo of a litter of seven black-footed ferret kits and the internet couldn't handle the cuteness.

According to the post, the ferrets were produced during this year's black-footed ferret breeding season.

And along with being a fun place for visitors to see various species of animals, the Phoenix Zoo is also one of six black-footed ferret propagation for reintroduction (release into the wild) facilities in the world.

More than 500 black-footed ferrets have been produced at the zoo to date, according to the Facebook post. For more information on the zoo and its programs, visit www.phoenixzoo.org.

Editor note: And the Phoenix Zoo has a live BFF webcam! Not as close as the wonderful Smithsonian Zoo webcam some of us remember from a few years back when the cam was placed inside breeding boxes, but – when the ferrets are up & about – still a good way to get a BFF fix.

Ferrets thrive at Rocky Mountain Arsenal By Chad Deutschman. Reprinted from commercecitysentinal.com, September 5, 2017

At least 25 rare, black-footed ferrets have been born in the last two years at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

Now, wildlife staffers are trying to find out why the endangered animals are not only surviving, but thriving, on the 25-square-mile wildlife refuge in Commerce City.

One recent night, wildlife workers shined lights in burrows to identify the ferrets, since their eyes glow green when exposed to light at night. Workers caught as many ferrets as they could over a three-night period, placing transponder chips in the ferrets’ necks and tails and vaccinating them for rabies, distemper and plague. The workers also placed “ring readers” at burrow entrances to monitor behavior, movement and health.

The recent survey at the wildlife refuge is the first of three planned. Another survey is scheduled for September, and the final one is scheduled for October.

LOTS of BFF News!


BFF News, ctd. Don’t Miss: Ferret Town By Shannon Sollitt. Reprinted from planetjh.com, September 27, 2017

A wanted poster and a resurrection—that’s how the story begins.

It was 1981 on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming, and a ranch dog came home with a carcass in his mouth. The ranchers had never seen such an animal before—because the animal, or rather, the group of animals, was believed to have been dead for years.

It was a black-footed ferret, an animal that had been believed to be extinct since the late ‘70s. The ranchers didn’t recognize it, but the taxidermist did, because a small handful of optimists still hung “wanted” posters looking or the animal. This body was the proof they needed—it was still alive, right here in Wyoming.

The story was everything wildlife filmmaker Virginia Moore needed for her next project: A charismatic character (because ferrets are adorable, google “ferrets in packing peanuts” and try to disagree) and an animal brought back from the dead, a second chance. It’s one of the “greatest conservation stories in the U.S,” Moore said. And it all started in Wyoming.

Moore is offering a sneak peak of her film Ferret Town, which doesn’t actually release until the spring, at Jackson Hole Wild festival. Clips of the film will be accompanied by Q&A sessions with conservation specialists, and a live ambassador from Colorado—yes, a real live ferret.

“There are so few of them in the wild, they’re so hard to find. It’s a really great opportunity to meet an endangered ferret in person,” Moore said.

The subjects of the feature films are big and global—big cats were the focus of this year’s summit. The subjects of Ferret Town, meanwhile, are small and scarce, but their story is local. “They came to life right in our backyard. The last remaining population of ferrets was right here in Wyoming,” Moore said. “We got a second chance to try and keep this animal from going extinct.”

People rally easily behind big animals like cats and condors, Moore said. But despite their cult-like following—owners of domestic ferrets sometimes self-identify as “ferret people”—the black-footed ferret’s survival is still gaining traction in larger conversations about conservation. Even though domestic ferrets are more closely related to the European pole cat, they’re all part of the same family. Moore is trying to tap into the “ferret people’ market.

“There’s this whole subculture of ferret pet owners that are kind of obsessed with their ferrets,” she said. Don’t they want to know more about their pets’ wild cousin? [YES, they do!]

Beyond their domestic pet-owning audience, the black-footed ferret’s story offers conservationists a crucial lesson in animal re-population, Moore said.

“We’re talking about re-wilding an animal that was extricated,” she said. “How did we only get down to 18 [the population in 1986], and how can the federal government, state, and locals work together on endangered species issues to not only save the species but find common ground and work together in a collaborative way.”

Moore compares the ferret to Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs: They went extinct in a different era. When they came back to life, the landscape they now needed to survive in looked drastically different. The ferrets, like the fictional resurrected dinosaurs, will need to learn to adapt to their new environment.

Also, because it’s worth mentioning: ferrets dance. PJH got a sneak-sneak-peek at one of the film’s scenes, simply titled “ferret dance.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: one unsuspecting ferret, leaping, twisting, and boogying in front of a night-vision camera (ferrets are nocturnal, as are most party animals). It’s even better than ferrets playing in packing peanuts. Moore is especially excited to let that scene go viral.

“It’s awesome,” Moore said. We agree.

Editor Note: At the documentary’s website you can view the short scene – watch! It’s hysterical. But for the best view, use a full monitor, not your phone. https://ferrettownmovie.com/about/ We’ve dropped a note to the filmmakers to see if they expect a sale to Animal Planet or NatGeo, but haven’t heard back yet.


Blast from the Past 10 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘The Beastmaster’ By Nat Berman. Reprinted from tvovermind.com, August 25, 2017

The Beastmaster is a sword and sorcery film that was released in 1982. Don Coscarelli directed the film and also co-wrote it with Paul Pepperman. It is based on a 1959 novel called ‘The Beast Master’ by Andre Norton’. The movie starred Marc Singer, Rip Torn, Tanya Roberts, and John Amos. It is about a witch stealing a baby from the womb of his mother and when the child, Dar, grows he can telepathically communicate with ani-mals. He vows revenge on beasts who destroyed his village under the orders of a sorcerer called Maax. It is now 35 years since The Beastmaster was released and here are ten things you might not know about this film to commemorate this anniversary.

1. There is an amazing scene in the movie of a hawk soaring. Unfortunately, the hawk chosen for the part would only soar when landing. To resolve this issue, the bird’s cage was attached to helium balloons and the cage door was triggered to open and release the bird when the cage was high enough. This allowed the crew to capture the hawk soaring.

2. The masks worn by the Death Guard did not have any eye sockets so the actor playing this part couldn’t see what was happening. You might notice the Death Guard running around in the movie waving his arms around as this stopped him from bumping into the props and scenery.

3. The Jun Horde temple was lit with torches and these created black smoke. For this reason, the crew was forced to wear breathing masks and the actors had to repeatedly have their nostrils cleaned by the makeup artists.

4. There were budget limitations and this impacted on how much it was possible to spend on actors. The budget set was $25 per day per person. For this reason, homeless people were hired for the scene where Sing-er meets his father. This scene was shot during the night at Simi Valley.

5. Tao and all his people wear green rings in the film as this allows them to connect to each other. They usu-ally wear it on their left hand.

6. Ferrets are one type of creature that features in this film yet there are some anomalies when they appear in the movie. First, the sound effect given to them is incorrect and sounds more like mice. Second, both ferrets are supposedly male but one gives birth to kits at the end of the film.

7. When Coscarelli and Pepperman wrote the screenplay, they made such significant changes to the story that Andre Norton asked for his name removed from the credits.

8. During filming, Coscarelli feuded with the executive producer constantly regarding both casting and edit-ing.

9. Originally, the role of Maax was written for Klaus Kinski. However, a salary dispute led to the role going to Rip Torn.

10. When casting for the role of Kiri, Coscarelli wanted Demi Moore to play the role. However, the executive producer overrode this decision. Instead, Tanya Roberts was cast in the role. Roberts also played Stacey Sutton in the 1985 Bond movie, A View to a Kill.

Mutts, by Patrick O’Connell, September 16, 2017

With love to Sesame & Xena


Spirituality & Animals

Bless their Furry Little Hearts: Animals are Welcome at St. Francis Ceremonies John Beifuss, Reprinted from USA Today Network, September Sept. 29, 2017

Michelle Pellay-Walker lost her little poodle, Chi-Chi, in 1984. “Lost,” of course, is a euphemism. The dog died, as, inevitably, dogs do. Chi-Chi was an 11th birthday present for Michelle, so the girl knew she likely would outlive the poodle — and she has, by 33 years, to date. That’s a long time, yet probably a day hasn’t gone by that Pellay-Walker hasn’t thought about the “cute little fluffball” she remembers as the oth-er half of “a beautiful friendship.”

“I didn’t really have close friends growing up, so she really filled that void,” Pellay-Walker said. “I think that’s one reason my memories of her are so strong, because I knew there was one entity on this planet that loved me unconditionally. That really made a difference.”

Chi-Chi was among the pets celebrated during Calvary Episcopal Church’s annual “Blessing of the Animals.” Giving the dogs (and cats) their day

This ceremony was just one of many such events organized around the world in connection with the Oct. 4 feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the Roman Catholic friar revered for his deep connection to animal life and to the natural world in general.

Observed Rev. Paul McLain, 56, associate rector at Calvary: “Many people say we see God in a sunset. And I would say, yes, and you can see God in the love of a basset hound.”

Or, as it says in the Bible, in the Book of Job, which is part of the Calvary service: “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you... or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?"

Typically, live animals are brought to such services. Remembering deceased pets like Chi-Chi is something of an innovation, an acknowledgment that animals have “unique personalities,” said McLain (whose wife, Ruthie McLain, came up with the idea). Similarly the increasing popularity of the term “Blessing of the Animals” rather than “Blessing of the Pets” suggests an embrace of the idea that dogs, cats, ferrets, iguanas, guppies and other creatures are co-habitants of a shared Earth rather than things to be mastered. 'On Earth as is it in Heaven'

Another change from a typical service are the precautions necessary in case of “accidents,” to use another euphemism. “We take out the pew cushions, and we invite all creatures into the nave,” said choirmaster Wesley Emerson, who admits he doesn’t bring his own pets to the service. “I have two cats, but my cats would claw me to hell and back if I tried to bring them, and don’t you quote me on that.” Seriously? “Oh, go ahead and quote me, we’re Episcopalians, we don’t care what you say.”

Calvary member Bill Branch calls pets "four-legged loved ones." A professional artist, he created the water-color flyer promoting the Calvary event (show above). With what he calls "artistic license," he included his dachs-hunds — the deceased Roxie and the still active Rusty — among the animals being blessed by St. Francis in the illustration. "To me, Rusty and Roxie were gifts given to me by the God that I believe in," said Branch, 65, a self-described "dachshund fanatic." "So I believe and I hope that they do have a soul — perhaps not the soul of a hu-man being — and that they go to a place that is similar to heaven... and when I die I will be reunited with the dachshunds that I have had the privilege to live with in my lifetime, and that God would not let them disappear, since they give us so much love."

After-life issues aside, "I've outlived a lot of animals, and it's traumatic," Emerson said. "I just have to be thankful for the time we share with them." He added that his love for animals is indivisible from his religious faith. "I think that we’re entrust-ed to care for the planet and to care for all creatures that live on it." Admittedly, not all creatures appreciate the stewardship. Said McLain: "People will joke, 'Instead of a blessing, my dog needs an exorcism.' "

Editor Note: Please consider this article a companion to the one on page 12 on the care exhibited to animals in India. Fasci-nating that in such a poor country, there is such compassion. A good reminder that love of animals is not only cross-cultural but exists in multiple religions.


Spirituality & Animals, ctd. Stray Dogs Started Turning Blue. Then the Street Mobilized. By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN. Reprinted from the New York Times, September 27, 2017. Article lightly edited for space.

Mumbai turns out to be a pretty good place to be a dog. The poorest people living on the streets barely have enough food themselves, but they feed strays. And the rich, well, some go completely overboard.

One Bollywood actress provides steaming vessels of chicken and rice every morning for dozens of neighborhood dogs. Another woman drives around in a specially outfitted Honda delivering meals to more than 100, sprinkling in special spices depending on the season. (Turmeric is good during the monsoons, she says, to help boost the dogs’ immunity.)

India has some of the most pro-dog laws on the planet. It is illegal here to kill healthy strays, and the result is millions of them — perhaps as many as 30 million across the country. Packs of dogs trot through the parks, hang around restaurants for scraps (which they usually get), and sprawl on their bellies inside railway stations as rushing commuters leap over them.

That’s not necessarily a good thing. It is no coincidence that India also leads the world in deadly rabies cases. In the state of Kerala, vigilantes saw strays as such a threat that they began methodically hunting dogs down until last November, when the Supreme Court ordered them to stop.

More typically, though, the dogs are widely cared for. Some people won’t even call them strays, preferring the more respectful label of “community dogs.” And within India, Mumbai is considered something of a sanctuary city for them.

But that reputation briefly hit a bump a few weeks ago, after some dogs took a dip in a Mumbai river and came out blue. Photos of the “Blue Dogs of Mumbai” went viral, and initial news reports speculated that the dogs’ fur had changed because of some weird pollution effects.

Upon close investigation, it turned out that a dye company had released products into a drainage ditch that flowed into a Mumbai river where the dogs liked to play. Coloring for clothing had stained the dogs’ fur, and the monsoon rains soon blasted it off.

What was interesting — and moving — was the community efforts to rally around the blue dogs and help them.

“India is pretty unique,” said Ingrid Newkirk, the British-American co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who grew up in India. “Maybe it’s a karmic sense, this idea that the dog could be you and if you don’t watch out in life it could be you again. Or,” she wondered, “maybe it’s just that the poor have greater compassion because they can relate to other individuals who are having a hard time trying to survive.”

The neighborhood where this happened, Taloja, about an hour’s drive east of central Mumbai, is heavily industrialized...Still, Taloja is teeming with canines, and the line between a stray and a pet is blurry. Factory workers and villagers feed certain dogs and even buy shampoo to wash them. But the dogs don’t live inside homes and are free to roam around.

Most of India’s street dogs are about two feet tall, short-haired, curly-tailed, trim but not scrawny, and descended from an ancient breed related to the Australian dingo.

After some factory workers spotted a pack of dogs that were bright blue, Taloja sprang into action. Workers called a neighborhood human rights activist who then called a neighborhood animal rights advocate who then called a nearby animal hospital. An ambulance was rushed to the scene.

A few days later, in another incident near a factory, villagers waded into a ditch coursing with nitric acid and rescued a dog that was trapped.

Niharika Kishan Gandhi, the wealthy woman who feeds 100 dogs from the back of her Honda in suburban Mumbai, took a stab at answering the question of why Indians, in general, seem especially friendly to animals. “It comes down to tolerance,” she said. “We’ve lived under Moghul rule, under British rule. It’s crowded here, it’s diverse, and to survive, you need to be tolerant.” She added, “The more tolerant you are, the more compassion you have.”

Photo: Atol Luke for NY Times.

Continued on page 13.


Spirituality & Animals, ctd. In Mumbai, a dozen robust charities, including one called The Welfare of Stray Dogs, cruise around the city,

treating sick dogs and taking healthy ones to animal hospitals for vaccinations and sterilizations before depositing them back exactly where they were found, as the law requires. (It’s illegal here to displace a dog.)

India’s government has made a decision not to kill strays but to reduce the population gradually through sterilizations. The result in Mumbai, animal welfare experts say, is a virtuous cycle.

Sterilized dogs, which don’t have puppies or prowl around for mates, tend to be more relaxed, which makes people less fearful of them, which makes the dogs friendlier, which makes people even more accepting of them.

Respect for animals is enshrined in India’s Constitution, which says that every Indian should “have compassion for living creatures.” Few places are as emblematic of this as the animal hospital in Thane, near Mumbai, where the Taloja residents took the acid dog and the one blue dog they were able to catch.

On a recent day, the hospital’s patients included: 37 dogs, eight cats, six soft-shell turtles, two ducks, two rabbits and a cattle egret with a broken wing.

A commotion erupted when a group of burly men burst through the door, moving through the hospital corridors as one, huddled around a small brown object: a monkey electrocuted while climbing a power line. The vets set to it, calling out for IVs, scissors, medicine and tape.

For the blue dog, all the vitals were checked. After five days of observation, he (the dog was a male, about 8 years old) was discharged in good health.

The acid dog didn’t have such good luck. The hospital named him Babu, and he is now basically blind. The other day, Babu didn’t look so good. He stood on shaky legs inside a cage, a thick worm of red and green mucus hanging out of his nose.

“Don’t worry,” said Madhavi Irani, one of the caretakers, nonchalantly wiping the dog’s nose with her fingers. “Babu just has a little cold.”


Health Veterinary Use of Laser Therapy Expands By Dr. Karen Becker, Reprinted from Mercola.com, April 5, 2011 Editor Note: As promised in Ferret Poop, here are details of the therapy used for Pebbles.

Laser therapy works in a number of ways to heal injuries and manage pain. Among them: It increases the release of endorphins (natural painkillers). Laser therapy decreases inflammation, which helps return tissue to a normal state. It restores metabolic function.

How Lasers Act on the Body Lasers work through a process known as photobiostimulation. The photonic energy delivered by the light of

the laser changes cellular chemistry by: Increasing production of cell fuel (ATP, or Adenosine-triphosphate) Reducing inflammation and pain Increasing circulation at the injury site

Laser light in the red and near-infrared range triggers a photochemical reaction in the body that increases blood flow to tissues. This in turn promotes improved function in the growth, replication and repair of cells, as well as the production of important compounds like enzymes, DNA/RNA, immunoglobulins and proteins.

According to Ronald Riegel, DVM, author of manuals on using lasers to treat veterinary patients, “The key to a successful therapeutic dose of laser energy is achieving the right combination of power, wavelength and time.”

The longer the waves, the deeper the tissue penetration. This sets the stage for optimum photobiostimulation of cells. “We need to use enough energy to increase the respiratory rate of cells and put them into hyperdrive,” Riegel says. “We’re dealing with cells that are already injured, and we’re looking to initiate this whole biochemical cascade of events.” Laser Therapy Applications

Lasers are being used in veterinary medicine for pain management, to promote wound healing, to reduce inflammation and swelling, and for rehabilitation in both small and large animals.

Conditions currently treated successfully with lasers include: Acute and chronic ear infections Acute and chronic neck and back pain Gum disease Fractures Anal gland infections Neuromuscular disease Muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries Post-surgery pain, healing, and rehab Arthritis; degenerative joint diseases like hip dysplasia Certain GI, urinary, respiratory conditions Skin wounds caused by abscesses, hot spots, and lick granulomas The potential uses of laser therapy are also exciting, and include treatment of: Allergic conditions Chronic rhinitis and bronchitis Bacterial and viral infections OCD (osteochondrosis dissecans), a joint cartilage disease mainly affecting large and giant breed dogs Chronic inflammation of the intestines or urinary tract Snake and insect bites Control or treatment of certain tumors Neurologic events (concussions, strokes; peripheral nerve damage

Laser Therapy Offers Huge Benefits for Pets The benefits of laser therapy can’t be overstated. It not only hastens healing, it actually improves the way

tissue repairs and renews itself. In post-operative patients, laser treatments reduce the risk of complications. Lasers can reverse muscle atrophy and improve tendon and ligament strength and resilience. Range of mo-

tion, function, flexibility and mobility are all enhanced. In addition, the probability of re-injury is significantly less. Pets get back on their feet and return to normal activities faster. Patients don’t need to be sedated. No drugs are involved; there are no IV lines and no Continued on page 15


Health, Ctd. & Items of Interest invasive clipping of hair or cutting into the skin.

Class IV laser therapy treatments are cumulative, meaning each treatment builds on prior treatments and the animal’s condition improves continuously.

As a proactive, integrative veterinarian, I strive to combine the best traditional and alternative medical therapies to improve the health of every patient I treat. Laser therapy is an option I especially love because it can restore quality of life to animals with a wide range of incapacitating health conditions.

Laser treatments range from about $35 to $60 per session and are ideal for owners of sick or debilitated pets who are looking for alternatives to pain medications and invasive procedures. At some clinics, pet owners can even hold their animals during laser therapy sessions.

Marshall’s Food Options By L. Vanessa Gruden

I’m often stuck buying Marshall food because so many ferrets arrive eating it. Luckily, most will transition to something else, but there are diehards.

If you adopt someone passionately attached to Marshall ferret diet, there are a couple options that are less objectionable than the “standard” brown-bag diet that smells hideously of dead fish.

The “Select” chicken formula smells a lot less and is less likely to crumble into dust toward the bottom of the bag. (Another thing I hate about the old Marshall diet: it ticks me off to spend that much on food to find an inch of disintegrated food inside.) Select’s first ingredients are chicken. One downside, however, is that it only seems to come in 4 lb. bags, which are more expensive than buying larger bags. Someone dropped off a bag of “Crunchy” Marshall ferret food, but I don’t even see that on their website so I’m not sure where it came from or if it’s still being made. There’s also a new formula I came across, “Extreme” freeze-dried turkey. I haven’t tried any yet and would be interested to hear the experiences of any readers who have. Expen-sive! 7.5 oz. is as costly as 4 lbs. of the other formulas.

The Most Pet-Friendly Cities in the United States By Michael Kolomatsky, Reprinted from The Calculator, September 21, 2017

We love our pets, and we have a lot of them: According to a recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, there are about 90 million dogs and 94 million cats kept as pets in the United States. If you take into account canaries, rabbits, fish and other animals, the total number of pets in the country is a staggering 393 million — in 68 percent of American households. Pets are everywhere, but the quality and cost of living with them varies considerably depending on where you live.

WalletHub, the financial website, recently ranked the 100 largest American cities in terms of pet-friendliness, using 21 variables. Among them: the pet-friendliness of the rental market; average home size; prepon-derance of single-family detached homes (in other words, housing likely to have a yard for the dog); the cost per capita of veterinary care; local animal protection laws; and the availability of dog parks and other outdoor spaces. And, of course, the number of pet-friendly restaurants.

Despite its high veterinary costs, Scottsdale, Ariz., was best in show, thanks to abundant pet-related busi-nesses and services, as well as pet-friendly indoor and outdoor space. New York City did well on outdoor space, but its high-priced veterinary care and other pet-related businesses dragged it down to 97th place. In last place: Newark, with relatively few veterinarians and other pet services per capita, and limited pet-friendly outdoor space.

Top & Bottom Five Cities: 1. Scottsdale, AZ 96. Boston 2. Phoenix 97. New York 3. Tampa, FL 98. Honolulu 4. San Diego 99. Baltimore 5. Orlando, FL 100. Newark

Editor Note: So here’s another good reason not to move to Newark! The chart didn’t include any city in Connect-icut, but both Boston and New York ranked low, so I’d guess most CT cities would, also, mostly due to the cost of living. For the statistically-minded, you can read the original WalletHub study with all the metrics here: https://wallethub.com/edu/most-pet-friendly-cities/5562/#main-findings


Mustalid News Adorable Baby Animal Rescued by Hero Arizonans [yay utility guys!] By Maria Gallucci. Reprinted from Mashable, May 7, 2017

A starving, struggling otter in Arizona was nursed back to health after utili-ty workers plucked it from a canal on the outskirts of Phoenix.

The 4-week-old animal was dehydrated and covered with fleas when three heroes from Salt River Project noticed the otter struggling to escape the dry-ing canal. "He was calling for his momma, we assumed," Craig Boggs, one of the utility workers, told the local Arizona news channel KPNX-TV. "It would go back under water and fight and come back up," he told the station. "He was about to give up. He was pretty exhausted."

Otters were once found throughout the region in the Salt, Verde, Little Col-orado, and Gila river systems, until early settlers all but killed them off. Wildlife officials reintroduced the web-footed swimmers into the Verde River in the early 1980s, and now otters are common throughout the entire watershed.

An otter family is said to live near the artificial pool of water at Granite Reef Di-version Dam, which is where the baby otter possibly began its harrowing journey, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "While we don't know for sure, it's likely that as the canal started to draw down, mom abandoned the canal and the baby was too young to follow," Nathan Gonza-lez, a spokesman for the wildlife department, said in a press release. After rescuing the struggling baby on April 20, the utility workers contacted the Game and Fish department, which transported the critter to their wildlife center in Phoenix. Workers fed the otter a trout mash mixed with kitten milk formula — and it was apparently just what the doctored ordered. The otter's condition improved, and six days later wildlife officials turned it over to Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, where it will live. An otter-ly happy end-ing, you might say.

Rare Weasel Emerges at Peninsula’s Historic Filoli estate By Tom Stienstra Reprinted from SanFranciscoChronicle, September 10, 2017

A long-tailed weasel, a rarely seen little fellow, emerged from a bush last week and provided one of the prize wildlife sightings of the year in the Bay Area. It was also one of the strangest. The surprise critter walked right up to a group in a courtyard at the Filoli estate in Woodside on the Peninsula.

At point-blank range, Jim Salyards then took a close-up photograph of the cute little guy: about a foot long, slender and brown, with dark eyes, pink-ish nose and dark face brightened by patches of white between his eyes and beneath each ear. The end of its long, brown tail is touched in black.

Long-tailed weasels have a broad range across Northern California and much of the western U.S., and yet sightings and close-up photographs are rare. Many avid wildlife watchers have never seen one.

The long-tailed weasel has made previous appearances this summer at the Filoli garden, said Salyards, director of horticulture at Filoli. “We suspect it arrived because of an outbreak of voles this year,” he said. Voles are mice-like rodents that are best known for burrowing tunnels near the surface of lawns and meadows. Their tunnels leave subtle bulges on the surface, and when you walk on them, it can feel as if you’re walking on a wet sponge.

Perhaps because of the wet winter, this has been a big year for voles across Northern California. They provide food for many species of prey, in-cluding foxes, coyotes, great horned owls and others, like the long-tailed weasel. Salyards confirmed that. “We’ve also seen more foxes around the garden this year,” he said.

The long-tailed weasel is a native animal with roots that go back millions of years. They make a living on burrowing rodents and survived the Ice Age by tunneling under the ice for prey. For those who live in the mountains, when the snow melts in the spring, you may see what looks like a mosaic of surface formations. These are the surface bulges from their shallow tunnels.

For those unfamiliar with Filoli, it is a historical landmark and a mansion-like country estate [located in Woodside, CA].


Memorials In loving memory of

Nina October 3, 2017

We hoped surgery would save you, but you chose to leave us. Much love...

Della & Glen

Memorials are printed as a service to members and supporters. No fee or memorial donation is asked or required.

Please note memorial messages may be edited due to space constraints. Our sympathies go out to each family.

Wonderful Ferret Halloween TShirts! I came across these while searching for Halloween ferret images. The artist, Sierra Tiegs, is a self-described ferret and Halloween lover. All these above are available as shirts on Redbubble.com as well as stickers, prints, phone cases, and more. Redbubble is an Australian company but items print & ship in the US. For unique art, the shirts are reasonable (about $30). Hint! Search for promo codes or sign up before ordering for a 10% emailed discount.

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