by Cynthia Lord
“I don’t think so,” Ms. Kim said. “That would be a fun new adventure for him.”
“Will you get mad if Merlin hides your keys?” Levi asked.
Mrs. Avery laughed. “No. I discovered Mitzi’s hiding places. I’ll learn Merlin’s hiding places, too.”
I smiled. This was going really well. Mrs. Avery seemed to like Merlin just the way he was.
Allie took the list of questions from Levi. “Where will Merlin live?”
“When he’s in his cage, he’ll have a habitat with ramps and a little hammock. I use shredded paper for bedding. Does he use a litter box?”
“Yes,” Ms. Kim said, taking the quiz paper from Allie. “How do you know when a ferret is sick?”
Mrs. Avery looked like she might cry. “Mitzi stopped eating. When she was awake, she didn’t seem like herself. I took her to the vet, but a few days later, she died.”
Part of me wanted to stop the quiz so she wouldn’t have to talk about Mitzi anymore. But there were still two groups of questions left. “I hope Merlin will make you feel better,” I said.
She gave me a small smile. “It’s hard to be sad when you have a ferret in the house. They make you laugh every day.”
She sure loved ferrets!
“How did you keep Mitzi looking fit, fine, and fabulous?” Matt asked.
“I bathed her in the kitchen sink,” Mrs. Avery said. “And she loved to be brushed. I also brushed her teeth every day and clipped her nails when they got long.”
Matt gave a thumbs-up and handed the quiz to me.
“What are some good toys for ferrets?” I asked.
“Mitzi liked balls, but her favorite was socks! She would take them out of the laundry basket every chance she had. She also liked to go through tunnels.”
“No paper-towel tubes, though!” I said quickly. “A ferret can get hurt with those.”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” said Mrs. Avery. “Thank you for telling me.”
Ms. Kim smiled at me. “Even experienced pet owners can learn new things.”
“And it’s okay to ask for help,” I said quietly. “Everybody has to do that sometimes — even if it’s hard to tell people you need it.”
Ms. Kim opened my castle doors and slid Merlin gently out of the box. He gave a big yawn and blinked a few times as Ms. Kim placed him in Mrs. Avery’s arms.
“I didn’t think I was ready for another ferret,” Mrs. Avery said. “But holding Merlin last Saturday made me realize something. My house just doesn’t feel whole without a ferret in it.”
“Shelter Pet Squad, what do you think?” asked Ms. Flores. “Does Mrs. Avery pass the test?”
“Yes!” we all said together.
Merlin looked up at Mrs. Avery and dooked. A soft, funny, ferret chuckle.
He thought so, too.
“I see you’ve brought your own carrier for Merlin,” Ms. Flores said. “But let me find a box to pack his things in. I’m sure he’d like some familiar toys and blankets to start with.”
“You could put those in his castle,” I said. “As long as nothing falls out of the windows.”
“I’d love that,” Mrs. Avery said, “but are you sure you want me to take your castle?”
“We also made him a restaurant, a store, a school, and a fort,” Levi said. “Would you like those, too?”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Avery. “He could play with a different building every day!”
The other kids rushed down to the workroom to grab their boxes — all except Allie. She started for the hallway but then came over and whispered to me, “I couldn’t have read that ferret book when I was in second grade either.”
Was she pointing out that she’s older than me? And a better reader?
When I stepped back and looked at her face, she wasn’t grinning like she was making fun, though. She looked like she was just telling me something.
“Thanks,” I said.
As Allie headed down to the workroom to get her box, I called after her, “I’m glad you made Merlin a school.” I don’t even know why I said that. I just wanted to say something nice, and that was all I could think of. Maybe it was okay, though. Because she called back, “Thanks,” as she went into the workroom.
While Mrs. Avery signed the adoption papers, I glanced at the fish tank. Merlin had a new home, but our goldfish still needed us to find her one. She swished her tail, swimming past. It didn’t seem fair that we didn’t know her name. Or who brought her to the shelter. Or why they left her on the doorstep. But she didn’t look sad. She just looked happy to watch everything going on in front of her.
Ms. Kim put Merlin in the pet carrier. Ms. Flores carried a bag of ferret food. We Shelter Pet Squad kids each brought our box out to Mrs. Avery’s car.
“Bye, Merlin,” Matt said, putting his pizza restaurant in the backseat. “Be careful when you’re appearing and disappearing, okay?”
“Be good!” Allie put her school in next. “And don’t take things that don’t belong to you.”
“Have fun digging outdoors in the garden,” Jada said.
Our boxes filled up Mrs. Avery’s backseat. On the front seat, Merlin pressed his face up against the door of his carrier. Mrs. Avery shut the car doors, almost crying. “It’ll be so nice to have a ferret in the house again. I’ve missed their silly ways.”
“Could you send us some photos of Merlin in his new home?” Ms. Kim asked.
Mrs. Avery nodded. “As soon as he’s settled, I’ll take some pictures.”
The car drove away. I reached into my pocket to touch Whiskers, hoping he’d make me feel better. The empty driveway looked so lonely.
“The small animal room will feel very quiet without Merlin,” Ms. Kim said.
“The whole shelter will be quiet without Merlin!” Ms. Flores said. “We won’t have to keep up with our ferret-proofing now.”
She didn’t say it like it was a good thing, though. I knew she’d miss Merlin, too.
“At least we won’t have to do any fish-proofing,” Jada said. “Goldfish can’t steal keys or climb into desk drawers.”
“That little fish makes me happy whenever I look at her,” Ms. Flores said. “I’ve been thinking that maybe we should keep our newest shelter pet. She can live in the lobby, like Shadow and Hattie.”
Keep her? I looked at Ms. Flores to see if she really meant it. She was smiling.
“I think that’s a great idea,” said Ms. Kim. “But if she’s staying with us, she needs a name. Suzannah, would you like to name her, since you found her?”
My heart jumped. “Yes!” I had named lots of stuffed animals, but never a real one.
The other kids wanted to help me. Levi suggested water names: Splash, Swish, or Bubble.
Jada thought something sparkly would be better: Glitter, Glimmer, or Shiny.
Allie liked color names: Goldie, Tangerine, or Coral.
Matt came up with a list of funny ones: Jaws, Moby Dick, or Nemo.
Those were all good. But I wanted a name that was more than what she looked like. More than where she lived. I wanted a name that was just hers.
As we walked back into the shelter, I looked at the doorstep where I’d found her. She’d been left behind, hoping for a new home.
And, just like that, her name came to me.
A wishing name.
A name full of second chances and promises.
“Her name is Hope,” I said.
All week long, I imagined Merlin happy in his new home. Maybe Mrs. Avery had set up our boxes around her living room.
Maybe he was exploring cupboards and trash cans and coat pockets. I hoped Mrs. Avery had ferret-proofed her house really well. Merlin would try to get into everything!
Maybe Mrs. Avery had even put Mitzi’s old harness and leash on him and taken him outside. I wondered what he thought of the grass.
On Saturday, I felt sorry we wouldn’t have Merlin with us during Shelter Pet Squad. It was always hard to like an animal so much and then watch him leave
. But as Mom drove into the parking lot, I knew there were still animals at the shelter that needed us to care for them.
This week, instead of carrying a big book about ferrets, I was bringing a smaller-size book about goldfish to show everyone. I had asked my school librarian to help me find a book that was just the right reading level for me, and I had read every word.
Walking through the door, I saw the other kids were all crowded around the bulletin board.
“Suzannah, come see!” Jada said. “Mrs. Avery sent us photos of Merlin!”
I rushed over and there was Merlin in the castle I’d made.
Wearing his harness outside, playing in a puddle.
Curled up asleep in the sink.
Just his face showing between the couch cushions.
Playing and getting into mischief and just being a ferret.
Mrs. Avery had a huge smile on her face as she held him.
“I bet he’s doing a lot of dooking,” Allie said.
I nodded. “He has a great home now.”
“And you helped him find it, Suzannah,” Ms. Kim said. “If you hadn’t talked to Mrs. Avery at the Make-A-Match-A-Thon, this might not have happened.”
I felt a glow inside. “We all helped, though,” I said. “We worked together to find him a home — the right home this time.”
A home that needed a ferret.
• Baby ferrets are called kits.
• All kits are born pink. Adult ferrets can have fur that is white, cream, brown, reddish brown, black, silvery gray, and tan. Some ferrets are all white, but most have patterns of colors.
• Ferret kits are born deaf and with their eyes closed. They begin to hear and their eyes open around five or six weeks old.
• The average number of kits in a litter is eight. There can be anywhere from one to eighteen ferrets in a litter, though!
• Ferrets usually live about eight years.
• Ferrets can sleep eighteen to twenty hours a day.
• The word ferret comes from the Latin word furonem. That means “thief” in Latin.
• A group of ferrets is called a business of ferrets.
• Male ferrets are larger than female ferrets.
• Ferrets are mammals. They are related to weasels.
• Ferrets must eat meat to survive.
• Ferrets have been kept as pets for thousands of years. There are even drawings of animals that look like ferrets wearing leashes on the walls of some Egyptian tombs.
You can learn more about ferrets at the library and online.
• Make a short promotional video about helping shelter animals to show to your class. Maybe your local shelter will want to show it to their supporters or put it on their website, too!
• Ask your local shelter if you can make adoption signs to be hung on the cages of their adoptable animals. Cut a piece of paper into a big speech bubble and then write something inside that the animal might be thinking. Here are a few suggestions to start with:
• I’m dreaming of a new home. Maybe yours?
• Best friend available right here. Inquire within!
• I choose you. Will you choose me?
• The people at the shelter are nice, but I wish I had a home of my own.
• If you ask some questions about each animal, you could make a sign that shows their own personality, too.
• Please adopt me. My name is Pete. I like treats, playing with tennis balls, and cuddling. Is there room on your couch for me?
• Hi, I’m Yoda! I’m looking for someone to love and who likes to take walks.
• Read to the animals. Ask your local shelter if there are some animals who would like you to read to them. Though the animals won’t understand the stories, some animals will really enjoy your attention and the sound of your voice.
• Decorate plain bandannas with nontoxic markers or fabric paint for shelter dogs to wear at events. Make them attractive and add a slogan like Adopt me!
• Say thank you. Even if you can’t volunteer with the animals, shelter workers and volunteers appreciate knowing that people care about the work they are doing. Bring in some homemade cookies or something special to say thank you for all they do to help the animals.
• If your family has adopted a pet from a shelter, take a photo of your pet doing something he loves and write a short update for the shelter, telling how he is doing at your house. Shelter workers love to see glimpses of the animals they’ve taken care of in their new homes.
• Be sure that your own pets wear ID tags and/or are microchipped so it will be easier for shelters to return your pet to you if he becomes lost. Having identification makes a big difference when a shelter tries to find a lost pet’s family.
• Celebrate your pet’s birthday by donating a present to your local shelter in your pet’s name.
To create the cat toys that Suzannah makes in the story, you will need:
• Plain-colored infant socks (long enough that you can tie a knot in the sock)
• Loose catnip (larger pet stores sell this)
• Empty toilet-paper tube
• Spoon
• Nontoxic permanent markers
1. If the socks you’ve chosen have rubber grips on the bottom, begin by turning the sock inside out so the grips are on the inside.
2. Open the top of the sock and insert the toilet-paper tube inside. This will make it easier to add the catnip.
3. Spoon the catnip into the toilet-paper tube so it will fall down into the toe of the sock. About four spoonfuls should fill the toe of an infant sock.
4. Cover the opening with your hand and shake the sock to be sure all the catnip falls down into the toe.
5. Remove the toilet-paper tube. Pinch the sock just above the catnip and knot the sock to seal the catnip inside.
6. Using a nontoxic permanent marker, draw a face and add details to make your toy look like a fish or another animal.
The simplest toys can make your small pet happy. A box makes a fun hideaway for a hamster, mouse, gerbil, guinea pig, ferret, or other small animal. You will need:
• A plain box big enough for the animal to comfortably fit inside. Twice as big as the animal is a nice, cozy size, but one where he can easily move around.
• Safety scissors
• Nontoxic markers or nontoxic crayons, edible decorations
1. Remove all things from the box that could hurt the animal or would be dangerous for him to eat: staples, tape, labels, and stickers. If you aren’t sure, remove it.
2. Use scissors to cut doorways and windows and skylights. Be sure all openings are big enough for the animal to crawl through easily.
3. Decorate your house with nontoxic markers or nontoxic crayons or edible decorations.
4. Be sure to supervise your pet playing with his new house to be sure he is safe and happy.
5. When the box becomes damaged or dirty, remove it from the cage.
Ferrets can make fun and lively pets. Bringing a pet into your family is a big decision, though. Here are some questions your family should think about if your family is considering a ferret as a pet.
• Is it legal to have a ferret as a pet where you live? Not all states allow ferrets to be kept as pets.
• Does everyone in your family agree that a ferret would be a good pet for you? Like a dog or a cat, a ferret will become part of your family. Everyone needs to be willing to assist in the care, training, and supervision that a ferret needs.
• Do you have time for a ferret? Ferrets require a lot of care. Every day, you will need to be sure that he has food, water, bedding, a clean cage, and supervised exercise and play time in a safe place outside of his cage. He will also require regular nail clipping, teeth brushing, and baths with ferret shampoo to keep him healthy and smelling nice.
• Do you have enough money for a ferret? In addition to buying the ferret or paying the adoption fee, you will need a cage, dishes for food and water, a litter box, grooming tools and supplies, an
d toys, as well as regular purchases of food and bedding. You will need to take your ferret to the vet for regular checkups and if he becomes ill.
• Do you have other pets? Ferrets can get along with some dogs and cats, but ferrets should not live in homes with pet mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, rabbits, or other small rodents. Your ferret will see those animals as food. Ferrets are also not a good match for a family with pet birds or very small children.
• Do you and your family have the patience to train a ferret? Ferrets can learn to use a litter box and not to nip when playing, but teaching any animal takes time and patience. Ferrets sleep for many hours a day, but when they’re awake they have lots of energy and need supervision and your attention.
At my house, we’ve had many pets over the years. We’ve never had a ferret, but we had a very special goldfish named Bubble.
Bubble loved people, especially me. When I watched TV, Bubble would swim over to that corner of the tank. If I walked across the room, he’d follow me to the other side. He was excited when I stopped and talked to him.
One day when he was a few years old, he didn’t look well. The next day, he was on his back at the bottom of the tank. As I came over, he struggled to turn and see me. Our veterinarian said Bubble had “swim bladder disease.” The swim bladder is what keeps a fish upright in the water. Our vet said Bubble would die because he wouldn’t be able to eat. That was very hard news to hear.
The next day, I pinched some fish food between my fingers. I reached into the water and put the food against Bubble’s mouth. He tried to eat it but couldn’t. He couldn’t eat the next day, either. On the third day, he ate some. Maybe it was luck or maybe it was because Bubble was trying so hard, but the food went into his mouth.
Bubble surprised everyone. He lived for nine more months. He taught himself to eat and swim upside down! His swimming wasn’t graceful like the other fish. He flopped through the water like a rowboat in a storm! It was amazing.