If for whatever reason you have to make that sad decision to rehome your ferret while in Japan, here are the steps you need to take and the information you need to have before hand.
I. Who to contact?
Leave me a comment on this post or any post on this site and I will contact one of the two places below of your choosing. Comments left on this site are first sent to me BEFORE publishing so this can all be handled privately without your email address or questions displayed publicly. I personally recommend going through the JFA first only because they have more resources as a group at their disposal. FerretShelter@HOME is a privately run shelter in Aichi (unconfirmed location) Prefecture.
☆ JFA
☆ FerretShelter@HOME (check this site anyway for the clever shelter icon. Spot it?? )
II. Why contact me and not the actual shelters directly?
Case of JFA: Yes, there are people in the JFA who speak English very well, but really it's another stress on their already hectic schedules to have to interpret native English. And besides, they will likely send it to me for confirmation anyway as they have in the past.
Please do whatever makes you feel more comfortable though. This is a terribly hard decision to go through in the first place.
Case of FS@HOME: I have only met the shelter operator once. At the very first Kyoto Championship Show. in fact. A very pleasant, nice man. I seriously don't think he speaks a word of English though.
III. Things you will definitely need to have done in advance:
document with basic info - age or best approximate, sex, breeder, personality
vaccines updated
food and treats
photo - would be nice
IV. Things that would be really nice for your little friend to have:
Their old toys.
Their old bedding.
An old shirt of yours you have worn for a few days previously.
☆ As we have seen in America, once the economy takes a heavy hit the animal shelters fill up at an alarming rate. It is no different in Japan with maybe the exception that ferrets are so expensive right off the bat that people do not invest in them as lightly as they would a dog or cat. Nonetheless it does happen that a lot of ferrets are need of rehoming suddenly. FS@HOME encountered that recently when they had an emergency intake of 16 ferrets from one owner. Reading the article on the main page, it sounds like this had a little touch of hoarding involved even though it seems they were well taken care of. Anyway, the point I am poorly trying to make here is file a request with the JFA first. FS@HOME is a little overwhelmed right now.
Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪
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As of today, there is still NO UPDATE on the event schedule yet.
They have opened up registration starting from 02/21 until 03/08.
So basically, I am updating just to say that I am keeping an eye on it.
At this point though I expected the event schedule will be up soon.
Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪
All translations copyrighted and owned by myself.
All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Here I had just finished the first chapter of THE TRACE OF LEMON and was going to post about that when I wandered over and noticed that the JFA finally has officially released the Spring Show information!
Event Location: Aichi Prefecture Industrial Trade Hall, First Floor of the Main Hall, Event Hall #1
Place: Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya City, Central Ward, Marunouchi 3-1-16
Date: April 18 (Sat.) - 19 (Sun.)
This occasion marks the Tenth Year Anniversary (Twentieth Championship Show). And as such they are planning a host of special events. Right off the bat, you can tell it is special by the fact that this year's show will span two whole days. I'm excited already!
And even with all the moving and getting used to a new job and new environment in South Korea, I just may be able to make it. I really want to even if I have to live off of rice and coffee for the rest of the month--rumor has it there might be veterinarians speaking. (More details of the event schedule to follow at a later date.)
So keep your fingers crossed for me. It benefits us both! You'll get lots of pictures posted; and any new information I can learn (Remember, they are much further ahead in the application of alternative therapies over there.), I will share!
Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪
All translations copyrighted and owned by myself.
All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.
In Japan, presentation is everything.
They never just dump your plate down in front of you and walk off with a pasty smile or throw your purchased items in a wrinkled bag. Everything is prettified. Which is a nice offset since it's a pretty ugly world out there in the first place. :D
Anyway, I order to finally part with the bag from one of my several shopping trips to Ferret World, I took a picture of the stamp and just found it recently. So here it is!
Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪
I thought I would introduce a book I picked up at the last Japan Ferret Association (JFA) Championship Ferret Show I was able to attend back in Spring 2008. I bought my copy from the author herself - a very pleasant and friendly woman. Unfortunately I was so sick that I did not think to get a photo of her at her booth. But my copy is signed. Japanese style - her hanko stamp is on the back inside cover.
画像挿入-future picture
I have not read it yet but for my own healing purposes I will be starting; and, anything I find particularly comforting or funny, I will translate and share with you here. Without further ado, allow me to present...
From the wrap around obi:
Neither dog, nor cat, nor bird.
Our household angel. Her name, Lemon.
The days dealing with the sudden onset of the unfamiliar sounding, incurable illness "insulinoma" and our time of happiness. The footprints left afterwards...
From the back of the wrap around obi:
Lemon, do you remember?
So many memories.
Laughter and joy, all the happiness you brought us.
You became the bond that tied this family together.
Thank you, Lemon. We were so happy.
Incidentally, as part of the introduction here, I will introduce the author's own blog (in Japanese). Lots of cute pictures even though she has not updated in awhile.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Although I'm in the midst of packing for South Korea (I keep forgetting to add in the South part. After all, who really goes to North Korea?), I will be reading this during the process. More to come, but not immediately. I choked up just translating that little bit even. :D
Also, I'll try to get my own pics of the cover and the hanko. I actually have them right now, just now program to edit and upload them with - Lemon has such a cute round face with little bit ears.. So stay tuned for future updates on that end!
Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪
* This part is not an official translation of the title but the author's own wording and grammar.
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+PLUS+
