Calendar            Our Constitution          Ferret History

Please note that the 2012 picnic has been cancelled and that there will be no more ferret picnics.
See "Can You Help?" below, and you might understand.

How to contact FIRST:

. Telephone: 604.263.7481              .
. Fax:           604.263.0314              .
. E-mail:       first@ferrets.org           .
. Mail:          FIRST Society             .
.                  113 - 3495 Cambie St. .
.                   Vancouver, B.C.          .
.                   V5Z 4R3                     .

Incorporated under the "Society Act" of British Columbia, 24 July, 1996.
Society Number S-35650.

What is FIRST?

FIRST is a charitable, working society dedicated to ferret welfare and registered in British Columbia on July 24, 1996. The objective of FIRST is to promote the interests of ferrets within the province through:

Providing a shelter, care, and adoption service specifically for ferrets; to provide an informational and educational service to all people, organisations, and businesses with an interest in ferrets; to represent the best interests of ferrets, their owners, and ferret-related groups at provincial and local levels.

To achieve these aims, FIRST co-operates with the provincial SPCA and has applied for and received from Revenue Canada, recognition as a charitable organisation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can You Help?

FIRST consists of a small number of members who have specific skills to lend the Society in achieving its aims. In addition, there are about two volunteers who foster the ferrets; drive them to and from their old homes, the vet offices, and the foster homes; help with fund-raising; follow-up calls; etc. All of these people contribute their time and resources. No one, not even the executive members, receive any money for their work: All money collected goes towards medical care for the animals. We always need help, especially with fostering ferrets and taxiing them to and from the vets.

In addition to direct help in fostering, we need donations to help pay veterinary bills, clean bedding and large cages for the ferrets, and food and litter to offset the foster parent's expenses.

Currently, we have a backlog of ferrets needing to be taken in, but we don't have enough foster homes.

If you feel you can help in some way, please contact us.  There are still more ferrets out there needing YOUR help.

Origins of FIRST

The concept of a ferret welfare organization and charity goes back several years, with the Society being an evolution of the shelter and adoption activities of Vancouver's ferret club. This club was started in 1992 as a way of bringing ferret-oriented people together for fun and socializing. In time, the club grew to have over one hundred people on its membership list.

Predictably, people began calling for advice and information about ferrets. Then came the day that ferrets were brought by and given up for adoption. The club soon became a "de facto" shelter and rescue service, handling over sixty ferrets for adoption.

The financial burden of such an operation was prohibitive, so ferrets were basically taken in, given rudimentary medical care, and adopted out as quickly as possible. The concept of a welfare society for ferrets as an adjunct to the club was floated as a solution to this problem. The advantages of a registered provincial society, especially a charitable one, were clear but the club was unable to grow in that direction. The founding members of FIRST decided to create a new association independent of all social clubs for ferrets: In this way the new society could concentrate solely on ferret welfare.

With advice from Michael Weeks, then the Executive Director of the Vancouver Regional S.P.C.A., and the continuing support of the current Executive Director, Douglas Hooper, the idea of a ferret welfare society was brought slowly to realization in the first half of 1996. Incorporated in July, 1996, as the FERRET INFORMATION RESCUE SHELTER & TRUST SOCIETY, or, more simply, FIRST (Ferret) Society, we have endeavoured to promote responsible ownership, proper care and housing, education, further veterinary education and recognition of health needs, improved welfare and protective legislation, lobbying and liaison, and provide a rescue, shelter, and education facility for ferrets throughout the province.

The Society is the first charity specifically for ferret welfare in Canada, and, as far as we can determine, the world. In the last few years, FIRST has become the primary ferret rescue in the province, with most S.P.C.A. branches, municipal animal control agencies, and other welfare groups preferring to use FIRST's expertise and resources rather than attempt to deal with the special needs of ferrets themselves. FIRST has even arranged to recover ferrets from Toronto through the good offices of Canadian Regional Airlines.

On the February 3rd of 1997, FIRST formally introduced itself to the Vancouver Regional S.P.C.A. with the aim of explaining how FIRST could assist the S.P.C.A. in fulfilling its mandate. As a result of this meeting, the S.P.C.A. no longer euthanises ferrets except when humane action is required. Instead, sick or seemingly vicious animals will be sent to FIRST for medical care and observation. Often these ferrets can recover, needing only care and love before going to a good home. FIRST hopes to continue building a mutually beneficial relationship with the S.P.C.A.

As FIRST's primary concern is ferret welfare, this website is unfortunately a low priority given our limited resources. Therefore, updates to the material here will be sporadic. However, we hope that we will be able to post new information every two to three months.

 

Meet Our Mascot

Ophelia Ferret, another ferret-mill refugee, took over the position of Society Mascot from Huckleberry Finn Ferret. Her first public appearance in her new position was at the Vancouver Pet Fair, 29-30 of May, 1999.

Rescued on 13 February, 1998, at the age of one year, Ophelia had third degree burns covering over 30% of her body, caused by either a scalding or caustic liquid, and had several of her teeth broken. Her hind feet were so badly burned that amputation, and therefore euthanization, seemed likely. Fortunately, with extensive around-the-clock care by the Society's vets, this outcome was avoided. The location and severity of her burns predisposed her to on-going and expensive medical care for urinary/vaginal tract problems, lesions, and movement difficulties. The nature of the required treatment and care made her an unadoptable animal, so she became a ward of the Society and, with Huckleberry Finn's already deteriorating condition, "mascot-in-waiting."

Ophelia was adopted by the veterinarians who rescued and treated her. She now is now almost completely recovered -- the only lingering problem being some unhealed sores on her body. She is at last a happy, trusting animal living with several other ferrets and a puppy.

Her initial veterinary costs were $891.55. Further expenses have been absorbed by her parents.

The owners, local breeders, were unable to explain how she was injured -- what a surprise.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Someone once defined sentimentality as too much feeling for too small an event. But they are never small when you're dealing with true companions."

Robert James Waller