The first time I saw a ferret in real life I knew I wanted one! A young friend of mine had acquired a ferret at a garage sale for $5, that was 23 years ago, he was a beautiful beast named Rocky and the adjectives that best describe a ferret, stinky, smelly, but NOT nasty applied to him. "He's mine", I told her, "when you do not want him anymore."

Meanwhile another friend found a little female ferret who had wandered into her garage and was caught eating the dog's food, so Marmite as she was named, went to live with Rocky. In those days ferrets were not neutered and spayed, so the inevitable happened!

About 2 weeks before Marmite was due to have her first kits, my friend had to move to another state and hence Rocky and a very fat Marmite came to live with me, just as I had hoped. Shortly after appeared 8 babies and so I was introduced into the 'world of ferrets', with a complete family of ferrets and very little knowledge about them!

It seemed that Miami was 'new' to this 'exotic' pet, as they are referred to and not many veterinarians were familiar with them at all. It wasn't long before the local vets were sending people to me to help them care for their ferrets and not much longer after that, my vet asked me to start a FERRET CLUB and with it a FERRET RESCUE/SHELTER.

The shelter was in my home and from 50 ferrets, the day that Hurricane Andrew hit Miami, we climbed to 190 ferrets, we were one of the largest shelters in the United States. We started out with CLUB MEETINGS at my veterinarian's office and progressed to a large warehouse, that I rented for my business and to hold events for the CLUB.

So started my Education Classes and Adoption Classes and along with several volunteers, we worked hard to make sure homeless ferrets got the finest homes possible. I spent 12 years teaching the public, at Pet Shows, Pet shops, TV Programs, Schools etc... and on Sundays, taught members of the Ferret Club the basics, intermediary and advanced knowledge of ferrets through a course I designed for this purpose.

Two years ago, my husband and I decided to move from Miami, we now live in Central Florida. I closed the shelter, but the website continues to educate in the capable hands of Mike Janke, he keeps it up to date on all the latest happenings and medical breakthroughs: www.miamiferret.org. Another group of great volunteers continues with the RESCUE and PLACEMENT of ferrets in the next county and ferret owners there still have Club meetings and do their best to keep the public educated.

My business, that was started at the request of ferret owners, has made it's presence on the web in the last two years and I continue to do educational work through it, writing articles and answering questions. I am in the process of writing and illustrating books about ferrets, for children to read along with their parents and hope to have them published within the next two years.

I still have 16 ferrets of my own and have several other animals, 13 guinea pigs, 4 rabbits, 3 goats, 2 very large pigs, 2 house cats, 2 finches and a golden retriever, plus fish.

Not only do I love animals, I feel knowledge before acquiring a pet is an essential and through education we can endeavor to provide people with the insight needed, before purchase or adoption of a pet. After which, comes ongoing education to ensure the best care, for those beings entrusted to our care!-

--Angela