Do people fight ferrets?

[Queenus]

Hi there, recently I've been finding bloodied and seriously injured ferrets sometimes 5 sometimes 10 and this has only started since a nice gentleman has bought land and several large barns which he has converted one of which is down a long windy path. According to a neighbor (I'm always away on the weekends) every weekend a large number of people come down in nice cars and there is shouting and a lot of noise coming from the barn till the early hours till the people leave and then I find the dead ferrets on monday afternoon when I come back which is too much of a coincidence. The barn has high barbed wire fencing no windows and a large locked gate but several hundred metres away there is a large hill which overlooks the barn and I'm thinking of spending the night on the moors with a powerful pair of binoculars one weekend but I've been advised against this as it could be dangerous if found by any one of the many visitors that could be armed (They also shoot clay pigeons) So do people fight ferrets and should I investigate before getting the police involved as I would hate to be wrong and waste their time. Please advise.

[jackthehat]

Call the Police.
Do NOT get involved yourself. You do not have the experience or the back-up to 'go alone' on this.
They have special units within the force to deal with issues like this.

[B00]

I'd call the RSPCA regardless of whether you supsect anything suspicious or not. Finding so many dead ferrets needs investigating.

Phone them immediately, and hound them till they agree to send someone out, then hound them again till you know for definite they've been and what the outcome is.

(as you've gathered, ive not much faith in the RSPCA, but who else can you call?)

[redcrx]

what have you been doing with the ferrets that youve found?

[Mosaic]

If you find dead creatures and feel they might be evidence, wrap in newspaper then plastic bags, label and put in the freezer till needed.
Just don't confuse them with the christmas roast....

[society]

The amount of dead ferrets that found, Queen would need a separate commercial-sized freezer to store them.

[Queenus]

I suppose that was a Rhetorical question jackthehat but as boo says maybe I should call the rspca first to 100% ascertain that they were killed by fighting each other which would then warrant a call to the police. Redcrx I have a farmer friend who disposes of the corpses of animals that I usually find around here for me.
Mosaic god forbid! I think the snow we have is natures own freezer and will preserve them perfectly for the rspca.

[jackthehat]

<<every weekend a large number of people come down in nice cars and there is shouting and a lot of noise coming from the barn till the early hours >>

And just what do you think *that* is all about ?

[Queenus]

Yes It's would've been a very strange occurrence society had it not been for the fact of many people coming down which points to a criminal activity.

[B00]

Whatever is going on, it needs looking into.

I've never heard of fighting ferrets to be honest. Maybe they're pitting dogs, like terriers, against ferrets??

It could all be something entirely innocent- however I personally wouldn't rest until i'd got to the bottom of whatever is going on.

Good luck.

[Queenus]

Jackthehat I think it has all the hallmarks of a dogfighting or cockfighting ring but as I said I haven't found cocks or dogs and just ferrets so maybe this is the new animal they're fighting? Are ferrets particularly aggressive?

[redcrx]

I cant figure out how you were considering spying from a hill top and yet hadnt come up with the idea to call the RSPCA / local police.

[Queenus]

Boo I'm like you and need to get to the bottom of it but as I said earlier these people could be armed and if they are up to a criminal activity and they find a lone stranger that has uncovered it and is alone in the small hours on the dark moors then who knows how far they would go to protect their secret.

[jackthehat]

If you are 'hosting' (albeit unknowingly) these events...........as an individual you are already in a world of pain unless you contact the Police.

Unless, of course, you part of the country is leading the way in nice, forgiving, rational, approachable and well-adjusted criminals...............?

[Queenus]

redcrx because this has only been happening over the course of the last 8 weeks and even though all evidence looks incriminating I would hate to have the place investigated and raided with people getting arrested and then find out they were innocent and there had been a ferret disease or fox killing the ferrets and me left with egg on my face and an irate neighbor.

[jackthehat]

^ Which is why you contact the Police.............

[ummmm]

I didn't think ferrets were that aggressive.

[Queenus]

I was going to call the rspca first and then the police but I think that this has now become a police matter so I'll call them and they can bring the rspca with them if nowt is suspicious. Thanks everyone.

[Prudie]

Whose ferrets are they anyway? Ferrets are not a wild animal in UK

[craft1948]

My mate's ferrets don't fight..........they do get cross sometimes.

[jackthehat]

Perhaps these are ?

http://2.bp.blogspot....400/FerretClown2x.png