Truth is, ferrets found lovable

Watch a few furry ferrets cavorting in a cage, and any negative perceptions may disappear.

It’s hard not to be amused by their long, narrow bodies as they burrow under blankets, climb into little hammocks or pile on top of one another to snuggle as they sleep.

“They’ve very comical creatures,” said Sara Hamilton of the Inland Northwest Ferret Association, which held a show Saturday at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d’Alene. “It’s sad there’s not more education about them.”

The ferret association is trying to get the word out about the nation’s third-most-popular pet, after dogs and cats.

There are numerous ferret rescue organizations nationwide, including several in the Inland Northwest, said Cindy Sapone, the association chairwoman. Ferret rescue groups from Spokane, North Idaho, Moscow and Emmett, Idaho, near Boise, attended Saturday’s show.

People who buy a ferret and then tire of it should not release them into the wild, where they will die within days, Sapone said.

“They don’t recognize dinner unless it’s served up on a plate,” said Susan Nichols of Spokane’s Ferret Haven.

Saturday’s show drew 62 animals and owners from as far away as Florida and New Mexico. Judging categories are delineated by breed, age and even physical deformities (only one such ferret was entered in Saturday’s show). However, those are “specialty categories” and are separate from owners seeking a championship title.

“I love it up here,” said Linda Gurule, of Farmington, N.M., who returned for her second show in this region with her five ferrets. “I went back and told my husband, ‘We’re moving to Coeur d’Alene.’ It’s so pretty.”

Gurule’s 10-month-old black sable, Gabriella, had just taken second place in her category. “They just have such a joyful life,” Gurule said as Gabriella wriggled and squirmed in her arms.

Visitors to the show may notice that almost none of the owners has just one ferret. Most had about five, and one woman had 12.

“They’re addicting,” said Hamilton, who directed the association’s show committee and also owns six ferrets. “They’re so lovable. It’s hard to stop at one.”

Hamilton, who is originally from Newman Lake but now lives in Seattle, said she was the first person in this region to own a ferret that won a national championship, in 2003. She was followed by her mother, Suzanne Hamilton, who won the prize the following year.

Sara Hamilton was a Gonzaga University student when she discovered ferrets. Her enthusiasm spread to her mother, and now Suzanne Hamilton has 12. As for Sara’s father, “he was fine with one or two,” Sara said, laughing. “But it’s gotten out of hand.”