Animal escapes from cage while being looked after at Ellon rescue centre
Couple appeal for public’s help in finding their pet ferret
Published:
A distraught couple are appealing for the public’s help to find their pet ferret, which escaped while being cared for by a rescue centre.
Amanda Bordones and her partner Carlo Grilli, of Danestone, Aberdeen, left their five ferrets with the Bemax Ferret Rescue Centre at Ellon when they went on holiday recently.
When they returned at the beginning of the month there was a message asking them to call the centre immediately, which they did, to be told two of their pets had escaped.
Only one badly injured ferret, Zorro, had been recovered – their other pet, Willow, a rare polecat ferret hybrid, is still missing.
Miss Bordones, 25, said: “We were obviously upset because we thought they were in good hands being looked after by a ferret rescue centre.
“The centre said they would drop our ferrets off that day but they would keep the injured one for a while.
“Obviously I wanted him back to get him seen to ASAP, and for peace of mind, so I told them to drop him off with the others.
“When we got him back, he was completely distressed, and in a bad way with very little use of his back legs.
They offered no real explanation of what on earth had happened and still haven't.
“They were being housed in their own large hutch which is new and very secure.
“The centre suggested the ferrets may have got out themselves, which is impossible.”
Mr Grilli, 27, said he was disappointed with the centre, which had a duty of care to look after their pets.
He said: “People make mistakes but they should have made sure that the cage was closed securely and if there was any doubt at all, brought them inside.”
The owner of the Esslemont Circle centre, Geoff Stewart, said his wife got up at 6am the day the ferrets disappeared to find the cage ajar and two of the five ferrets missing.
He insisted that he explained the circumstances of the escape to the couple when they collected their other animals.
He added: “We got one back but are still looking for the other.
“We have posters up all over the place asking for information.”
He said Zorro was injured while being caught but was taken to the vet, who looked the animal over, performed an X-ray and administered antibiotics before the ferret was returned.
The couple have appealed for information on the whereabouts of their missing pet Willow, which is described as being brown with darker legs, a white mouth and a brown nose.
Miss Bordones can be contacted on 07516 453694.
