Scully Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 For me anyhow! Went into town to pick up OH from a friends shop where she had gone for a chinwag after work. ‘Thank God you’re here’ says OH, ‘there’s a ferret in the shop!‘ ‘Eh?‘ Says I, and on entering saw two women on their hands and knees behind the counter. Apparently it was chased into the shop from another, by a group of young lads who were customers, and set too with enthusiasm to catch it, but only succeeded in chasing it into my friends shop. She wasn’t happy, understandably. One of the women once kept ferrets apparently so had been dragged into the scenario. ‘Are you sure it’s a ferret?’ says I. ‘Yes’ says the other shop owner, so I walked round the corner to the local pet shop to ask if they sold them and had an escapee. It was shut. I could smell it when I got back into the shop; poor thing would be terrified, and it obviously couldn’t be coaxed out from behind some shelving, and I had to ask one of the women to stop poking a long ruler at it as it just made it shriek, and if she did get the chance to grab it I advised against it unless she has some welders gloves in her back pocket. Anyhow, in a lull, out popped a small dark brown, almost black head. ‘That’s a mink’ says I. ‘Aw, isn’t it cute!’ says the lady as it disappeared behind the shop counter. 😀 She left the shop to make a call while the other woman and me tried to trap it with cardboard boxes, which she eventually succeeded in doing. The other woman came back to say she’d phoned the RSPCA, then the EA, and a local vet, none of whom were interested. I offered to go home for a Fenn trap as I no longer have squirrel traps, but friend/ shop owner said she would call her Dad, and around an hour later he turned up with a very keen lurcher and a squirrel trap, along with a black bin liner and a nice looking piece of sausage meat, and not having eaten since lunch I was a little tempted myself actually! Anyhow, he knew what he was doing, and after giving him a hand we locked up and left. See what tomorrow brings. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hope it meets a swift end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobbyathome Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 well if it is a mink hopefully a knock on the head and a new davey crocket hat for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 It will meet a swift end. The lady from the other shop ( who thought it was cute ) appeared a little shocked when I explained to her why it would have to be destroyed when caught, but understood. I also had to tell her why she shouldn’t put it on fb, as she wanted to tell everyone that no help had been forthcoming from local agencies, including the council, explaining that she may attract animal rights types who would be even less desirable than the mink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Scully, is your town near a water course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 16 minutes ago, billytheghillie said: Scully, is your town near a water course? 👍 You’ve got it I reckon. There is an ancient and well known beck which runs under the town, literally through the town centre but covered over by streets and shops. It is only visible in the town when roadworks are necessary, and although being nothing more than a big drain, it is a natural one and has its source at the town head. I suggested to my friend ( she isn’t from the town and didn’t know about the beck ) that this beck was probably the minks most likely route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Think mink like to be near a source of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 4 minutes ago, billytheghillie said: Think mink like to be near a source of water. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) Seeing as he lives in Cumbria, water being near is almost a given 😄 Edited August 6, 2020 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 1 hour ago, figgy said: Seeing as he lives in Cumbria, water being near is almost a given 😄 It's just hard to tell sometimes if it's a river pond or Lake, they like to shape shift. Can you imagine if she had managed to get hold of it thinking it was a ferret!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Ha ha, nasty little blighters. She wouldn't make the mistake twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2020 The shop owners husband accompanied her to work yesterday morning, and they found the trap hadn’t triggered, and no sight of mink, so the two of them set to beating saucepans from the back kitchen and a few minutes later it shot out the door! So that’s that; nothing dramatic, and as long as she could open her shop she’s happy. She said she won’t be leaving the door open for some time! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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