At the end of a gravel road on Vashon Island under a tree canopy with lots of wildlife, Michael and Miriam FitzPatrick share their small cabin with, at this time, 14 ferrets. (It can be as many as 20 -- their self-imposed limit.) Many of their crepuscular charges are unadoptable, plagued by health issues including cancer, adrenal problems, heart and spleen conditions, or just the damage of having been abused by a previous owner. Not all of them face these challenges, but because the ferrets live in groupings, the FitzPatricks aren't willing to adopt out the healthy ferrets and break up a bonded group.

"Our ferrets get individualized care, and all of them get a lot of out-of-cage time every day," they explained in an email about Ferret Shelter Northwest (soon to be renamed Ferret Island Rescue). "When their medical condition begins to deteriorate, or as they fade from old age, they get held a lot. It is really unlike any other animal care organization we ourselves have known. It is always rewarding, often painful, but always worth it for us. We really love these misunderstood critters."

The FitzPatricks face rising costs, a lack of public sympathy and few other shelter options for adoptable ferrets that come their way. And fundraising for ferrets through grants, for example, is an even tougher nut. So to defray expenses, they host the odd rummage "event." It's called an event because it's not a sale; everything is free. There's a donation jar near the door and usually a few ferrets on hand (especially those with important feeding and/or medication schedules), and a good variety of stuff for the taking -- no flat screen televisions, but no junk either.

They've run the rummage event a half-dozen times, and they bring in as much as when they had regular sales with set prices. "We just love the great karma, because it works for us, every time!" they write. "It is give-give. We love that."

Ferrets and free stuff! How can you pass that up? You can't. Saturday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Land Trust Building, one block off Vashon Highway. Donate items today, 5-7 p.m., or Saturday morning. Contact Ferret Shelter Northwest at (206) 781-3866.

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