Abandoned ferret looking for love

Published 18 Feb 2010 17:04

ANIMAL welfare officers are hoping to 'ferret' out the owner of a pet polecat abandoned near Peebles.

Scottish SPCA received the male ferret from council road cleaners after they spotted it on Monday morning February 15.

The hob (male ferret) was found in a wooden hutch at a passing place near Middleburn on the Shiplaw road between the A701 and the A703.

Immediately the workmen took him to a local vets before he was passed into the care of the Scottish SPCA Borders Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre at Mellerstain, where he has been named Brian.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Jenny Scott said: "The hutch was covered in Disney stickers suggesting that the ferret was likely to have been a child's pet.

"He was friendly, well handled and in reasonable body condition so he has been much loved at one point.

"It could be that he was being used for ferreting and became lost so his owner brought the hutch down to try and get him back, or it could be that he's been abandoned.

"Why anyone would dump him, hutch and all, in the middle of nowhere and in a spot where he was unlikely to be seen is beyond us.

"Anyone who recognises him should call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999. If we don't reunite him with his owner then we'll be looking for a loving new home for him."

The demand for ferrets as pets has increased in the last few years due to both their unusualness and friendliness. However, although they make great pets, they often come with many health problems that can be overwhelming to someone without the financial means to take care of them

That is why as the breeding season starts at the end of February, animal welfare officers are worried that they will have even more like Brian coming in soon.

As a result the Scottish SPCA wishes to remind pet owners that abandoning any animal is an offence that carries stiff penalties including up to six months in prison, a £5,000 fine or both.

Anyone guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.

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