'Ferret fanatics' gather at annual Ferret Frolic

Ferrets are cute, admit it. Their little faces peeking up at you are just irresistible as they scurry to and fro. These little creatures are always on the go, and love to play. So, what better than a whole afternoon of ferret-filled playtime! That’s exactly what the Ferret Frolic (hosted by the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area) is – three hours of fun.

The event is held it twice a year, in summer and then again in the fall. Ferrets participate in fun games and competitions that stimulate their minds and bodies, the “ferret fanatics” get to talk to fellow ferret lovers, and spectators can learn more about these little animals. Even though I’m not considering getting a ferret (too busy with my two dogs), I went to the latest Ferret Frolic in June and I learned a lot about ferrets and the special care that they require.

What are ferrets? Ferrets are small mammals that belong to the weasel family. They have been domesticated for at least 2 500 years. Their original purpose was for hunting rabbits, but now their most common purpose is being a fun, active pet.

Ferrets are not for everyone, though. Baby ferrets are so cute that when they are sold in pet stores, many people buy them on impulse….however, ferrets need daily physical and mental stimulation, and can’t be kept in a cage all day. Most people simply don’t have time for this type of pet, so after a few months, the now-adolescent ferrets end up at ferret rescues like the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area.

The Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa and Area has many ferrets available for adoption, but they do extensive screening before adopting out their ferrets. Each ferret is an individual, and the ferret that would be the match for one person or family may not be the match for another. The rescue wants to make sure that the person or family or suitable for that individual ferret.

So come down to the next Ferret Frolic, which will be held on Nov. 15, 2009. It’s tons of fun! It’s just so much fun watching these ferrets, full of a love-for-life, running around on their harnesses and leashes and playing lots of games. www.ferretrescue.ca/start.php

On another note…it’s summer! Although we’re all looking forward to the sunny days, with the sun comes heat, and heat can be very dangerous for dogs, especially in cars. Never leave your pets in a parked car in the summer. In the enclosed area of a car or other vehicle, the temperatures rapidly rise to dangerous levels in just a few minutes, until the inside of the car is so hot that it can result in the dog suffering from heat stroke/exhaustion, and possibly, death.

If you see an animal in a parked car, even if the windows are open, that looks like it may be suffering from heat exhaustion, find help right away from a parking attendant, security guard, or call the Ottawa Humane Society Emergency Services at 613-725-1532 or visit www.ottawahumane.ca.

Also – any teens who need volunteer hours, or anybody who loves dogs or who wants to see what dog agility is all about – listen up! An important agility event will be held this summer (July 30 – August 2, 2009), right here in Ottawa, at the Nepean National Equestrian Park – the 2009 Agility Association of Canada National Championships!

This will be a very exciting event, and many of the top dogs and handlers in North America will be competing. Handlers and their dogs who qualified for their province’s Regional Championships are eligible to compete. This will be my first time at Nationals competing with my Miniature Schnauzer “Mika,” and I am really looking forward to it!

The Nationals also need many volunteers for many purposes before the event and during the event. Whether you decide to volunteer or not, you are welcome to come and watch some amazing agility…it’s even free, and it’s definitely worth it! Visit http://www.aacnationals.ca/volunteers.html.

If you can’t make it out to the Nationals, many smaller agility events will be held this summer, and they all need volunteers.

Upcoming agility trials:

July 2 – All Dogs Sports Club, North Gower www.adsc-agility.com

July 9 – All Dogs Sports Club

July 16 – All Dogs Sports Club

July 19 – Dogz Canine Sports Centre, Nepean www.dogz.ca

July 23 – All Dogs Sports Club

August 23 – Dogz Canine Sports Centre

Also, there will RCMP Sunset Ceremonies held on June 26 and June 30, with free admission! This year’s theme is, “Helping children and youth realize their best potential in life.” There will be the famous RCMP Musical Ride, RCMP Mare and Foal, police service dogs, and many other exciting entertainments! For more information, call 613-949-8133, or go to the web site at www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/mr-ce/sunset-crepuscule-eng.htm

If you miss the RCMP at the Sunset Ceremony you can still see them on July 3 in Barrhaven for a special performance before they travel out west for the months of July and August. Find more info at this web site: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/mr-ce/20090602-barrhaven-eng.htm.

On July 11 – 12, the AnimalFest 2009 will be held. This is a fundraiser for Big Sky Ranch in Kemptville. Big Sky Ranch is a rescue owned by Andy Parent. Parent rescues not only for dogs and cats, but also for horses, pot-bellied pigs, goats, rabbits, donkeys… all unwanted and abused animals. Their website is at www.bigskyranch.ca.