Ferret's odyssey ends at Fishponds Royal Mail depot

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.fishpondsvoice.co.uk/ferret ... mail-depot

A PET ferret whose disappearance sparked a desperate search and social media appeal turned up after running into a Royal Mail office and biting a postman's ear.

Magdalena Makola asked for help on Facebook when her ferret Fredzia, who is around seven months old, ran away from her home near Eastville Park in January.

Over the following days Magdalena made appeals, put up posters, informed vets and animal shelters, and searched the park and surrounding area.

Sightings came in from Eastville Park and a back garden in Stapleton but after five days on the run,

Fredzia turned up at the Royal Mail delivery office in New Station Way, Fishponds, and took a liking to postman Ian Hodges.

Ian was sorting parcels with a colleague in a unit at the site when the ferret ran over from the direction of the Railway Path, over another worker's foot and into a cage used for sorting parcels ready for delivery.

Ian, who had not been aware of the Facebook appeal, said: "He seemed really friendly – he climbed up my leg and into the crook of my arm.

"Then he ran on to my shoulder and before I could do anything, he sank his teeth in and was hanging off my earlobe!"

One of Ian's colleagues tried to prize the ferret free while another offered Fredzia grapes to tempt him away, and eventually they managed to get him into a box.

Ian's colleague Nikki Bassett took Fredzia to a vet to check him over, stopping on the way when he escaped from the box and started to explore her car, appearing in her rear view mirror.

The vet posted an appeal to find the ferret's owner on Facebook and someone who saw it got in touch with Magdalena.

Meanwhile, Ian surprised his manager when he reported the incident in the workplace accident book.

Ian said: "He asked me what sort of accident it was and when I said I'd been bitten by a ferret, his jaw hit the floor!

"Everyone's been laughing about it ever since and we've even had a cartoon 'No Ferrets' sign made.

Fredzia left Ian with a couple of tiny bite marks on his ear but he said: "I think he was just nervous – I didn't take offence."

Magdalena said Fredzia had been tired and hungry but otherwise OK, and thanked the "many people" who had helped look for him.

She said: "I couldn't sleep for five days – I was crying.

"Now I'm very happy.

"Thank you once again to everyone – and remember that you always have to hope."

[ted_e_bear]

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