As you all recall, our ever loyal ferret community and members rallied to support the FRSO in our fight to save little Rio last May. She was an adorable, dark sable that had been surrendered with her pal, Bob from a loving home that had actually adopted her from our organization. She was sweet and fun loving, like so many of our fosters, and a reminder of why we, as volunteers, keep fighting for the lives of these active, and quirky pets.

Rio became ill with an unusual array of symptoms May 15th, seemingly out of the blue. She was found panting to breathe one morning and brought to Alta Vista Animal Hospital. She spent the weekend there in an oxygen tent, receiving an array of treatments, while the staff desperately tried to diagnose what was attacking Rio's little frame. Dr. Laite and Dr. Auger remained consultants all the while helping us to fight Rio's battle with the unknown. Rio continued to have a good appetite for her favourite duck soup and dole out kisses for anyone who asked.

Rio remained at Alta Vista till Thursday, May 21st. Her case was extremely unusual because she remained alert, attentive and affectionate, kept her robust appetite with normal stool and urine output, all despite the severity of her respiratory symptoms outside of her oxygen tent home. Tests were showing strange patterns in her lungs and she was not responding to any treatments given. We knew she was getting tired and we were likely to have to say our goodbye's.

The decision was made to return to Dr. Laite Thursday afternoon, and with our vet's gentle hands, and in the arms of Jen and myself, we let Rio go to the rainbow bridge. We all knew that to find the cause of Rio's strange and critical illness and to prevent her from truly suffering, we had to say the tearful and heart wrenching goodbye's sooner than later. It had been one of the hardest euthanasia's that Jen and I have had to face in well over 10 years of rescuing ferrets.

In the end, our vet bill at Alta Vista was a staggering $2200 plus the hundreds of dollars in fees from March Road Animal Hospital, including costs to send Rio's remains away for a definitive diagnosis. We felt it imperative that we get to the bottom of her issues in order to effectively treat any future cases and to ensure awareness of the potential for spread of the infection. In each foster's case, the decision to go the route of invasive therapy versus non-invasive therapy or even to end treatments all together, is ferret and illness dependent. We try to let sick furkids cross the rainbow bridge for the right reasons and at the right time. Rio's case was especially difficult but we knew that everything reasonable was tried and so we are left with no regrets, only sadness. Again, we want to thank all of you who rushed out to offer support and monies raised helped tremendously in a desperate situation. From the bottom of our hearts, again, THANK YOU!

As promised, we do have what information was provided from the laboratory with respect to what attacked Rio, though sadly, it is confusing and not entirely conclusive. It is understood that the pathologists finding indicated Rio had an opportunistic fungal infection in her lungs. This type of infection can be spread by droplets and would likely affect victims that are immunosuppressed or medically stressed. There was a potential that it can be spread, but again, to people or pets that too, were immunocomprimised or deficient. There was a stomach component that may have been a concurrent, primary or secondary issue. Treatment for the fungal-type pneumonia would have been bronchodialators and a couple of medications used in a form of chemotherapy.

The exact way Rio became infected remains unknown, and to date, there have been no further or similar issues within the foster home and it's two or four legged family members.

Everyday is a learning experience for us all and sometimes it feels as if the learning curve is straight up. The one thing we continue to be reminded of in the midst of heartache, is what a wonderful ferret community we have and how generous all of you are. Keep up the great work and enjoy these crazy pets!!

Love always, MaryBeth President, FRSO April 2010

Sad News    May 22, 2009

Hello again to all of our supporters.

First off, on behalf of the Ferret Rescue board and all the fosters, we would like to share our heartfelt appreciation to all who donated to Rio's treatment and kept this sweet little ferret in their thoughts and prayers. Thank you also to Dr. Auger and Dr. Laite for their input and consultation in fighting to save our darling fuzzbutt.

We unfortunately bring the sad news that Rio's battle came to an end today. Numerous courses of treatment were attempted, from steroids to a number of different antibiotics, all to no avail. Rio never stopped fighting but a decision was needed as we had run out of treatment options and a diagnosis had yet to be found. At 13:00, the process to transfer her from Alta Vista Animal Hospital to March Road Animal Hospital began. With the help of Dr. Cheryl Laite, and in the arms of Jen and me, Rio was helped across the rainbow bridge.

Rio's case is unusual because she was able to remain aware and appreciative of her surroundings, keep a robust appetite and normal urine and stool output all despite the apparent severity of her respiratory issues. For the duration of her treatment, from Sunday the 17th to Thursday the 21st of May, she was kept within an oxygen tent, on 24hour ICU care, all the while eating her duck soup meals and doling out nose kisses for anyone who asked. Her breathing rate did remain shallow and very rapid even in her oxygen rich environment and the two sets of X-rays that were taken showed an abnormal lung consolidation pattern. After 5 long days, Rio was clearly tiring and we knew that we'd soon have to let her go. Though a bacterial or viral infection seems to have been ruled out, it is still important to obtain a definitive diagnosis to be sure Rio's plight is not likely to affect other foster ferrets. We knew in order to find the cause of Rio's issues and to prevent her from truly suffering, we had to say goodbye sooner than later. This has been one of the hardest goodbye's both Jen and I have been asked to face in our many years as part of the rescue.

In the end, we are left with a $2200 bill at Alta Vista, as well as a bill at March Road Animal Hospital for the assistance received from Dr. Laite in helping Rio cross the Rainbow Bridge and in hopefully finding Rio's illness. The total of that bill has yet to be determined, as is the final diagnosis. We will share this information as soon as it is available to us. Keep in mind that a decision to go the route of invasive therapy, non-invasive or not to treat is ferret and illness dependent. We try to let sick animals cross the rainbow bridge for the right reasons and at the right time. Rio's case was difficult but we know that everything reasonable was tried. There are no regrets, only sadness.

As we are a volunteer charity, receiving nothing in the way of official government funding, this latest medical crisis could have left the rescue's bank account very depleted and with no ability to recover even after our biggest upcoming biannual fundraiser. Without your generous additional donations that we have received so far, we may not have been in a position to provide definitive treatment for other sick fuzzies in the near future let alone maintain the current level of care that we offer. We can't thank you enough. For all of you who pulled together to help give us that extra boost, especially in these difficult times...THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. In addition to getting monetary donations, knowing that we have such a supportive, ferret-loving community has helped to keep our spirits. It reminds us that others share our passion for these wonderful souls and keeps us moving forward even after little tragedies!

We again, would like to thank Dr. Daren Auger and Dr. Cheryl Laite who worked with each other and Alta Vista to try and solve the mystery and save Rio's life. Thank you both for not giving up! We know that she appreciated every extra hour that you gave her, as do we. We couldn't have fought so hard without your support and advice.

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Help Rio!    May 21, 2009

Rio the ferret has seen hard times before. This friendly little sable was found abandoned in a garage and turned over to the Humane Society, which gave her to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. We found a home for her, along with her new friend Bob, where she was loved and happy. Unfortunately her family's circumstances changed, and Rio was returned to us. She is still a delightful ferret - but now she is fighting for her life. Rio has always been healthy, but on Friday, May 15th she started panting to breathe. When this continued, Rio's foster Mom brought her to the vet in Alta Vista. Rio has been x-rayed, and has been in an oxygen tent since Sunday morning. She is being treated with different antibiotics as the vet struggles to diagnose and heal her. Severe pneumonia is suspected, but this is an unusual case, and nothing has been confirmed. Meanwhile, Rio is still eating well, and still giving her loving kisses to those who care for her. She is too young and too much of a fighter for us to give up on her easily. The problem for us is that Rio's care is very expensive. The FRSO relies entirely on donations, and our budget is very small. When disaster strikes, we have to weigh the merits of bankrupting ourselves treating one seriously ill ferret against the consequences of depriving multiple other ferrets of less expensive but vital medical care. This is where you have an opportunity to be Rio's champion. While we don't normally bother people by asking for money, in this special case we are pleading with you to give any amount of money you can to help with Rio's care. We want this sweet ferret to be healthy again - and we want to be able to continue to help other, equally deserving ferrets as well. Every bit helps. By donating, you are not only helping Rio, you are also helping other ferrets. Rio's situation is medically unusual, and by treating her, the vet will gain knowledge that could help other ferrets in the same situation. With Rio's medical costs offset by your donations, our other ferrets in need of care won't be denied because of a lack of resources. And by helping the FRSO to survive this crisis without being plunged deeply into debt, you help ensure that we will continue to be there for Rio, and all her present and future shelter buddies. There are three easy ways you can make a donation to help Rio. 1) You can make a donation via CanadaHelps.org and receive an instant tax receipt. 2) You can make a payment via Paypal by going to our website and clicking on the Paypal Donate Now button. 3) You can mail a cheque payable to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area to us at PO BOX 39034, 2265 Riverside Dr. Ottawa, ON K1H 1A1 Please help Rio. She'd kiss you if she could!

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Website Changes    June 10, 2007

As some of you have likely noticed, our website is experiencing some stability problems. In order to resolve these issues, we will be moving the site to a more stable service provider between now and July 1. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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New Mailing Address    April 7, 2007

Due to the closure of the Canada Post outlet where our PO Box was located, we have a new mailing address effective immediately:

PO BOX 39034
2265 Riverside Dr.
Ottawa, ON
K1H 1A1

Any mail sent to our old address will be automatically forwarded to the new one.

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Artwork Donation    February 25, 2007

Local artist Kelseigh has generously donated a Pen and ink sketch, using Mitchell Post Office nib on sketchbook paper, in honour of the recently departed Buster. "Buster, a foster ferret in the care of The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area, sleeps peacefully after an extended playtime. Buster has recently passed on, but he was among the many ferrets in need cared for by the Society." All sales of Prints and Products made using this print will be donated to the Ferret Rescue Society, and the original will be auctioned off at the Society's annual Spring Ferret Frolic in June 2007. Kelseigh encourages everyone to be generous, either through purchasing Prints and Products or through Donations via the Society's website.

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Charitable Status    January 21, 2007

The FRSO is happy to announce that we have received our official Canadian Federal Charitable Status. Our Charity number is 86366 7069 RR0001. This means we can now issue tax receipts for all donations of money and goods worth more than $20!

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Virtual Sale    January 1, 2007

To help raise additional funds, we've posted a number of items on UsedOttawa.com. Please Check Them Out and pass the word around. Thank you!

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Garage Sale    September 2, 2006

I would like to thank everyone who helped make today's garage sale a success. Special thanks go to Cathy and Louise for all their hard work, Elizabeth for help packing up and taking the discards to Value Village, and John, Shaughn and friend for moving much of the stuff from my place to Cathy's. I would also like to thank everyone who donated items to the sale. The total amount raised today is $216, which is in addition to the $85 raised at a virtual on-line garage sale the past few weeks. Way to go everyone!

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New Website    July 30, 2006

The newly redesigned FRSO website is now on-line and is fully operational. As always, we will continue to make minor adjustments and our team of translators is working hard to update the French portion of the site. If you have any problems with the site, please let us know.

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Spring Frolic Results    June 4, 2006

Over 90 ferrets attended our Spring 2006 Frolic and $2300 was raised to help the FRSO help the ferrets!

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2006 Event Listing    March 11, 2006

Following are the event dates for the rest of 2006. Please note, the date of some of the meetings may change.

April 9, 2006 Members & Spring Frolic Planning Meeting

April 23, 2006 Annual General Meeting.

April-May 2006 Bermuda Garage Sale when possible

May 6, 2006 Blackburn Hamlet Garage Sale

May 13, 2006 Spring Frolic Planning Meeting.

May 27, 2006 Glebe Garage Sale

May 28, 2006 Spring Frolic Staging/Preparation Meeting

June 4, 2006 Spring Frolic

June 25, 2006 Member/Fall Frolic Planning Meeting

July 15, 2006 Members BBQ

July 23, 2006 Member/Fall Frolic Planning Meeting

August 19, 2006 Member/Fall Frolic Planning Meeting

August, 2006 Ottawa SuperEx

September 2, 2006 Bermuda Garage Sale

September 9, 2006 Fall Frolic Staging/Preparation Meeting

September 17, 2006 Fall Frolic

October 15, 2006 Member Meeting

November 10, 2006 Fund Raising Concert

December 10, 2006 Members Christmas Party

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Concert Results    November 12, 2005

This years Benefit Concert raised a grand total of $685!!! Many thanks to Mavericks Bar, Justin, Sir Byrons Dog of War, The Bridegroom, the Band With No Name, our wonderful Poster Artist and everyone else who helped make this event such a great success!

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Benefit Concert!    November 11, 2005

Join us on November 11 at Mavericks Bar for our Second Annual Ferret Rescue Society Benefit Concert featuring:

Sir Byrons Dog of War (classic rock covers)
The Bridegroom (jazz/rock)

Doors open at 8pm and the show runs from 9pm to 1am.

Tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the door.

Contact Us for more information or to buy tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Fall Ferret Frolic    September 18, 2005

Media Release

August 23, 2005

The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area presents the Fall Ferret Frolic!

The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area (FRSO) are proud to present their Fall Ferret Frolic in McNabb Park (corner of Bronson and Gladstone) on Sunday, September 18, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This annual event is presented by the FRSO to help to educate ferret owners and the general public about these wonderful pets and to raise funds for the society.

The Fall Ferret Frolic welcomes ferrets, their owners and curious onlookers to witness a variety of hilarious ferret competitions. Tube races, sock stuffing, table clearing, best matching costumes, best ferret impersonation and a children's relay race are among this years events. Additional highlights include a silent auction, a display of the FRSO's foster ferrets, opportunities to ask ferret experts questions on ferret health and ownership, sales tables with a large assortment of pet accessories, items for ferret owners and both human and ferret treats. All proceeds from this event are used by the FRSO to help continue their rescue efforts.

The FRSO became a registered non-profit corporation in the winter of 2002. Their mandate is to care for unwanted, abandoned or abused ferrets. They are the only animal rescue group in the Ottawa area that aids ferrets in need. Ferrets that are brought to the Humane Society are transferred to the FRSO for special care. Ferrets are rehabilitated and given any medical attention they require. All ferrets who are healthy enough are adopted out into carefully screened new families. Unfortunately, some ferrets that arrive at the group are no longer compatible in regular family environments. These ferrets will become long-term residents of the group, or will go to special homes. The FRSO has a no kill policy. The only exception is if it is medically impossible to treat or heal a ferret that is suffering.

Each year the FRSO takes in and adopts out more ferrets as they become more recognized and well known. In 2004, they took in 44 ferrets, adopted out 36 and 6 passed away before finding a forever home. So far this year, they have already completed 28 adoptions. The total budget for 2004 was approximately $6,500. An increasing number of ferrets and increasing vet expenses will push their needs to over $10,000 in 2005. Currently, the group is caring for 28 ferrets - some who are waiting for a forever home and some who are permanently placed in special foster homes. The FRSO does not receive any government grants and relies solely on donations and money gathered from fundraising events. The Fall Ferret Frolic is one of the society's biggest fundraisers.

For more information, visit ourAnnouncemnet Forums

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Garage Sale    September 10, 2005

Weather permitting, our final sale of the year will be held at 932 Bermuday Ave, near Montreal Rd and Hochelaga.

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Garage Sale Results    September 10, 2005

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, Cathy and Louise, todays garage sale raised a total of $140!!

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Garage Sale CANCELLED    September 3, 2005

Todays Garage Sale has been cancelled.

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Our New Phone Number    August 29, 2005

Our new phone number is (613) 296-4357. Please remember it is staffed by volunteers and it may take us a day or two to return you call.

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Garage Sale    June 12, 2005

Our June 11 Garage Sale raised a total of $150 despite the 40c heat! Many thanks to our volunteers who braved the weather to help us out.

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Fundraising Events    June 11, 2005

Thanks to everyone who made our 2005 Spring Ferret Frolic such a great success. With your help, we raised over $2100 to help pay our vet bills. Also, the day before the frolic, we partcipated at the Glebe Garage Sale and raised another $140. Thanks to the Pretoria Animal Hospital for letting us setup a table in front of their office.

Weather Permitting, we will be holding our next garage sale of the season at 932 Bermuda Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario (near Montreal Road and Hochelaga). You can help by donating your time, donating sale items or by stopping by to check out all the great stuff for sale. We look forward to seeing you there!

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2005 Events Listing    June 5, 2005

For those who have not noticed, our 2005 Events have now been posted (Updated June 5, 2005).

February 13, 2005 Member Meeting

March 6, 2005 Member Meeting

April 1, 2005 Membership Dues

April 10, 2005 Annual General Meeting

May 7, 2005 Blackburn Hamlet Garage Sale

May 22, 2005 Spring Frolic Meeting

May 29, 2005 Spring Frolic

June 11, 2005 Bermuda Garage Sale

June 26, 2005 Member Meeting

July 16, 2005 Member BBQ

July 24, 2005 Member Meeting

August 14, 2005 Member Meeting

August 20, 2005 Fantasia Party

August 21, 2005 Otawa SuperEx

September 3, 2005 Bermuda Garage Sale

September 11, 2005 Fall Frolic Meeting

September 18, 2005 Fall Frolic

October 16, 2005 Member Meeting

November, 2005 Fund Raising Concert

November 20, 2005 Member Meeting

December 11, 2005 Members Christmas Party

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Fundraising Garage Sale * CANCELLED*    May 21, 2005

**Note This event was cancelled due to forecasted rain** Weather Permitting, we will be holding our second sale of the season at 932 Bermuda Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario (near Montreal Road and Hochelaga). You can help by donating your time, donating sale items or by stopping by to check out all the great stuff for sale.

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Fundraising Garage Sale    May 7, 2005

Our first garage sale of 2005 will be held on May 7 at 2450 Braeburn Place in Blackburn Hamlet. Donations of sale items will be gladly accepted. Stop by and help us help the ferrets!

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Concert Results    November 17, 2004

Thank you to Justin and everyone else who helped raise a whopping $750 at our benefit concert!!!!

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Minto Donation    October 20, 2004

The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area would like to thank Minto for their generous donation of $500! This is the second year in a row that Minto has donated to the group, and the donations are greatly appreciated.

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Fall 2004 Frolic    September 19, 2004

Join us at Vincent Massey Park from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, September 19 for our Fall 2004 Ferret Frolic. For more details, please visit our Forums. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Garage Sale Results    September 11, 2004

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers, those who stopped by and those who donated some really nice stuff, we raised another $160 for the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area today!

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September Garage Sales    September 4, 2004

Our September 4 Garage Sale raised $259.50. Thank you very much to those who helped make it a success. Our last sale of the season will be held on September 11 (weather permitting) at 932 Bermuda Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario (near Montreal Road and Hochelaga). We hope to see you there!

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Ottawa Super Ex    August 19, 2004

Thanks to the efforts of our dedicated volunteers, our presence at this years Ottawa Super Ex was a great success. We had a great response with many people coming over to ask questions and share ferret stories. Jasmine's and Nykki's ferrets had a ball showing off, and Pony even did the weasel war dance in the showring! Join us at our next ferret event - the Fall Ferret Frolic at Vincent Massey Park on Sunday September 19th!

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Frolic Survey Results    July 12, 2004

Thanks everyone for taking the time to complete our frolic survey. Here are the results:

Replies Received: 22

Favorite Events: Sock Stuffing 8 Shoulder Riding 5 Burrito Wrap 3 Flower Digging 3 Costume Contest 2

Least Favorite Event: Burrito Wrap 3 Flower Digging 2 Cup Tipping 2 Shoulder Riding 2 Paper Bag Escape 2

Liked Location: Yes = 21 No = 1

Liked Auction: Yes = 15 No = 1

Suggested Events: Ferret Tricks, Climbing, Dooking and Tube Races.

Suggested Sale Items: More Ferret related items such as t-shirts, pins, cups and stationery. Ferret Vitamins and supplements as well as more cages for sale.

Additional Comments: A number of people commented they would have preferred to spend the $4 parking cost on ferrets and sales (it was a surprise to us too!).

Six people liked the snacks and drinks offered.

Many commented they had a good time and we should keep a similar format.

Posting a map and a schedule of events would help, as would a bilingual announcement of each event (loud enough for all to hear).

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Spring Frolic Results    July 3, 2004

Many thanks to everyone who joined us for a beautiful, fun filled afternoon of frolicy ferret fun. With your help, over $1,500 was raised - a new frolic record! We look forward to seeing you again in the fall.

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Foster Homes Needed!    June 20, 2004

We need your help! During the summer, many of our regular foster families will be going on holidays. This, plus a number of recently arrived ferrets, is resulting in a large burden on our existing foster families.

In order to qualify, you must:
- already have ferrets and have had them for at least 6 months.
- accept a home visit from one of our board members.
- have space to set up a separate cage for another group or a single ferret (we can supply a cage, bedding and accessories if needed).
- be willing and able to supply food, clean bedding and litter.
- have time to provide seperate play times for the foster ferrets.
- be able to bring the foster ferret(s) to our vet if needed.

If you can help us, please contact us. Thank you.

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Benefit Ebay Auction    February 12, 2004

Thank you to Kate and Stacia whose generosity resulted in a $25 donation to our shelter. Way to go!

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New Video!    January 24, 2004

Check out our new Flash Video (warning it's 1.2MB in size and requires Macromdedia Flash Player)!

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Happy Holidays!    December 25, 2003

Happy Holidays everyone and a Great Big Thank you to the special people who organized this years Ferret Giving Tree as well as those who made this a special Christmas for Slinky, Zak, Lena, Nicki, Alex, Rocky, Luna and Nyx! Tentative dates have been set for 2004 Frolics and Garage Sales. May 30, 2004 and September 12, 2004 will be our Ferret Frolics and May 1 and September 4 will be our main Garage Sales.

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2003 Fall Ferret Frolic    October 4, 2003

THANK YOU to everyone who made this years Fall Frolic a success. Over $630 was raised to help pay our shelter expenses! We will be posting pictures of the event in our photos section over the next couple of weeks. Watch for our next Ferret Frolic in the spring of 2004.

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New Mailing Address    August 27, 2003

We now have a new Mailing Address in case you need to send us something via the mail:

PO BOX 27054
GLOUCESTER CENTRE POST OFFICE
1980 OGILVIE ROAD
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
K1J 9L9

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SuperEx 2003 - Thank You!    August 22, 2003

Despite the challenge of putting on an event without power, the Ferret Friday Frolic at the SuperEx was a success. A big Thank you to Andrea and her babies Peez, QB, and Chase; and Gary & Darlene and their babies Princess Tiggy, Gizmo,and Patches for their help.

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Ottawa SuperEx 2003    August 6, 2003

Good News! We will be attending this year's SuperEx. Watch for our booth in the Hagen Petfest Pavilion. We will be staffing an information table from Noon to 8pm each day from August 14 to 24 and will be showing off our ferrets at Noon and 4pm on Friday, August 15. Don't forget to bring your Loose Change and Canadian Tire Money for our Donation Box!

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Summer Rescue    July 22, 2003

On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, we received 7 three year old unneutered ferrets (4 males, 3 females). None of the ferrets are used to being handled and are very scared. All ferrets will need blood tests before being spayed or neutered. Your assistance is needed to help care for these cuties. For more details, go to ferretrescue.ca/rescue.php. Thank you!

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Spring 2003 Ferret Frolic    June 5, 2003

THANK YOU to everyone who made the frolic a huge success (despite being postponed for a week)! This event raised $870 and will definately help to pay down our outstanding vet bills. We are now starting to plan a September Frolic, so watch this site for more details. Pictures of the frolic have been posted on our Photo Page.

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Thank You!    May 4, 2003

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our Garage Sale and who visited our booth at the Great Animal Adventure. Between the two events, we raised over $240.

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Carlingwood Wildlife Festival    April 9, 2003

Thanks to everyone who made this years Carlingwood Wildlife Festival a great success!

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CafeShops Store    February 9, 2003

*** NOW ON-LINE: The Ferret Rescue Society CafeShops Store ***

Products include: Teddy Bears, Sweatshirts, T-Shirts, Baseball Jerseys, Golf Shirts, Thongs, Panties, Boxer Shorts, Night Shirts, Stickers, Mugs, Steins, Tile Coasters, Mouse Pads, Baseball Caps, Flying Discs, BBQ Aprons, and Tote Bags.

All prices are in US Dollars. Between $1 US and $4 US from each product sold goes directly to help run the shelter. Stop by and check it out!

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Happy New Year!    January 26, 2003

Happy New Year everyone! We have lots of exciting things being planned for this year, so keep watching our site for details.

We were busy last year, with 42 ferrets arriving in our shelter and 34 adoptions completed. This compares to 30 arrivals and 22 adoptions in 2000 and 39 arrivals and 31 adoptions in 2001. 2003 looks to be even busier as we have already adopted out 6 ferrets!

Following is a summary of some upcoming activities (more details will be posted closer to the actual events):

February 2003: Watch for our CaféStores official opening in early February. Up to $4 US from the sale of each item will be used to help pay our vet bills and operating costs.

Every Second Sunday: Starting February 9, 2003 we will be on-site at the Innes Road PetSmart from 11am to 3pm. The only exceptions will be days when this conflicts with other events (see below) or when someone cannot attend due to illness.

April 2003: We plan on attending the Great Animal Adventure in Rockland (April 25-27) and the National Capital Region Wildlife Festival at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre (April 4 - 6). Exact dates, times and locations will be announced in March.

May 3, 2003: Our first Garage Sale fundraiser will be held in Blackburn Hamlet. Contact us if you have items that you wish to donate.

May 25, 2003: We will be holding the annual Ferret Frolic on May 25 at Andrew Haydon Park, Section C. Rain date is June 1.

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Community Day 2002    September 7, 2002

THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our presence at the Community Day 2002 Yard Sale a big success! We raised $300 to help pay our expenses. Watch for our next big, fun event in the spring 2003.

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Ottawa SuperEx    August 15, 2002

We were at the Ottawa SuperEx again this year at the PetFest building. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

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Garage Sale    July 5, 2002

Our June 15 garage sale was cancelled due to heavy rain. We held a sale the following Saturday and raised $90. The next garage sale will be in September at CMHC. As always, donations of garage sale items would be gladly accepted.

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Garage Sale    May 4, 2002

Many thanks to those who stopped by the garage sale. We raised over $170 which will be used to help pay our outstanding vet bills. We still owe over $2000, and would appreciate any donations of salable items for our June Garage Sale.

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Great Animal Adventure    April 20, 2002

Attended The Great Animal Adventure at the Nepean Sports Plex sponsored by the Papanack Zoo.

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New Web Site!    April 17, 2002

The new website is now on-line at ferretrescue.ca.

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National Capital Region Wildlife Festival    April 12, 2002

Attended the National Capital Region Wildlife Festival at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre.

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Officially Incorporated    January 11, 2002

The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area is officially incorporated.

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