MO - Pet ferret eats seven fingers of baby boy

[lieber32]

Sounds like these folks may have moved up from neglecting their animals to endangering their child needlessly. Isn't it usually the way of things. Sad. Sad. Sad.

I do think it may have been the ferret. If as RKT points out they have been neglectful of their pets in the past it is entirely possible IMO that this little ferret was seeking the formula smell out of hunger.

I do not think the rot would have been responsible given the time of the incident. I would assume the baby was in bed (crib) and rot would have a harder time accessing the infant. Also, I am afraid if the rot had done it the child would likely be dead. Rots are known to be very agressive once they have clamped on and once the agression has been triggered I doubt he would have started or stopped at the fingers.

I have no problem with rots as pets but people need to realize that these animals require proper handling and training and should never be left unattended with children. The tragic results of parents' failure to do so are plaster on the news frequently.

You make a lot of valid points and based on my experience you are a hundred percent correct. I have family that owns a rottweiler but they have extensive experience with animals (horses, cows, dogs, cats etc.). That rottweiler plays with my yorkie and is very well behaved. I've seen breeds that back home are perfectly well behaving including (danes which my dad owns, german shephards which my moms side of the family breed, and even small breeds such as Schnauzers and poodles that are way agressive and not property socialized at all while walking my dog in the city). Even heard of aggressive ferrets, thought about owning one for awhile but a friend said they either make great pets or are aggressive. They said they are not a hundred percent tamed and can act out as they age. I agree if it was the rottweiler the kid would probrably be dead. These people should not be allowed to own pets based on what I have read.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

There have also been cases of very well behaved dogs that are owned by responsible owners who "snap".
My nephew was almost killed by a very well behaved Chow that had never so much as growled at anybody. He was laying on the floor watching a movie at a friend's house. Bumped into the Chow and it went for his throat. Slit it wide open.

IMO some dogs are more prone to this no matter how they are raised or what the circumstances are.

JMO

 

[2goldfish]

I blame careless owners. the ferret didnt get one finger, it got just about 8. that's a lot of chewing and I dont want that mental pic. I am quite sure the baby didnt sleep through it, so what took mom and dad almost 8 fingers to notice the baby was screaming abnormally? why wasnt the ferret caged for the night? (honest question there, I have only known a few ferret owners and of those few, their were all caged at night and I would expect that to be esp true with a small baby in the house)

 

[redkatrampant]

I came back to this thread because I was on my high horse last night and I apologize.
Is is possible the ferret chewed the fingers? Of course.
Do I think so ? Not so much.
I could be 100% wrong.
But this is not about whether I am right or wrong. I tried to make it that and I should not have.
This is about this poor baby. I for one will be anxious to see how this plays out.
I am keeping the poor lil one in my prayers.

 

[miimaa]

Why wasn't the ferret kept in a cage?

Some people just shouldn't have kids or pets.

 

[not_my_kids]

That would be my question too. If it was in a sturdy cage, this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't let any animal be alone with an infant, be it a ferret, a dog, a cat...

I know that some parents simply don't understand or believe that a beloved pet can cause injury to the beloved baby, but it happens. And it can happen with any pet.

I hope that there is some sort of prosthetic or reconstruction that they can use on the baby, since he is young enough that he should be able to learn how to use it expertly.

 

[redkatrampant]

That would be my question too. If it was in a sturdy cage, this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't let any animal be alone with an infant, be it a ferret, a dog, a cat...

I know that some parents simply don't understand or believe that a beloved pet can cause injury to the beloved baby, but it happens. And it can happen with any pet.

I hope that there is some sort of prosthetic or reconstruction that they can use on the baby, since he is young enough that he should be able to learn how to use it expertly.

Ours are in a cage, they are let out to romp once a day. We keep a very close eye on them as much for their safety as for everyone else's. We also limit what part of the house they have access too. Now we have no infants in the house but when we did AND we had pets, it was always understood that the infant's safety came before the pets. I would never EVER leave them alone. I don't even like cats in MY room when I sleep.

 

[not_my_kids]

Ours are in a cage, they are let out to romp once a day. We keep a very close eye on them as much for their safety as for everyone else's. We also limit what part of the house they have access too. Now we have no infants in the house but when we did AND we had pets, it was always understood that the infant's safety came before the pets. I would never EVER leave them alone. I don't even like cats in MY room when I sleep.

My adopted mom had ferrets. They were out for a little while every day, but they were carefully corralled during their out time. And never at night, because ferrets are crafty little things, and while there weren't babies in the house, we were worried that they would get out of the house or hurt themselves.

I can't help but wonder if maybe these parents didn't have it caged at all or if they were trying for a "supercute" photo op with pet and kid, or just thought it was no different than a cat, (which shouldn't be alone with baby either).

 

[LunaticFringe]

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/press_archive99/pr36-629.shtml


Ferrets are known for their unpredictable behavior, and they are prone to vicious, unprovoked attacks on humans. Ferret attacks reported nationwide over time have become notorious for their severity and capriciousness, causing serious injuries to some infants and young children in particular. In New York City's multiple dwelling residences, which are not natural habitats of ferrets, a ferret could crawl through holes in walls or travel along risers or ducts to other apartments, with potentially tragic consequences for the neighbor of a ferret owner.

Every ferret owner I have ever known their homes reek of urine.Ferrets are just nasty to me.I want nothing to do with them and I love animals.

 

[redkatrampant]

Every ferret owner I have ever known their homes reek of urine.Ferrets are just nasty to me.I want nothing to do with them and I love animals.

Musky , maybe. Urine? I dunno. I am super sensitive about how clean the cage is. And the cat's litterbox. So maybe I am obsessive. I also know that the scent can be controlled by frequent baths. Johnson's Baby Shampoo, truly, is the best for it. Seriously.
And they love water.

 

[Tuffy]

Musky , maybe. Urine? I dunno. I am super sensitive about how clean the cage is. And the cat's litterbox. So maybe I am obsessive. I also know that the scent can be controlled by frequent baths. Johnson's Baby Shampoo, truly, is the best for it. Seriously.
And they love water.

Yep. Definitely musk odor. Ferrets naturally smell that way. Shampooing the ferret will help. I think they're cute, but if you have a sensitive nose, they might not be the pet for you.

 

[Tuffy]

My adopted mom had ferrets. They were out for a little while every day, but they were carefully corralled during their out time. And never at night, because ferrets are crafty little things, and while there weren't babies in the house, we were worried that they would get out of the house or hurt themselves.

I can't help but wonder if maybe these parents didn't have it caged at all or if they were trying for a "supercute" photo op with pet and kid, or just thought it was no different than a cat, (which shouldn't be alone with baby either).

That's it, nmk. Parents need to have common sense in allowing animals of any kind around small kids, and babies. Supervision is a must. How could this have happened with supervison? We just read about these types of tragedies way to often.

 

[rpipergirl]

My lifelong best friend and her husband had ferrets when their daughter who will be 10 in March was a baby. She has all her parts. These people obviously did not keep their ferret in it's cage and supervise it when around the child. My friends did both. Ferrets have VERY sharp claws and teeth.

 

[Rayemonde]

Ferrets are quite a popular pet were I live. We have loads of wild ones too (polecats). I've never even seen a live polecat, only dead ones on the road. They are very shy. People who keep chickens have to secure them at night or a polecat will wipe them out. I've never heard of a wild one so much as scratching a human being, though - as I said, they are very shy and rarely seen. And I've never heard of a pet one injuring anybody, beyond a nip on the finger.

The poor baby had to have been screaming a lot during this - the parents were definitely negligent and 100% to blame, not the poor ferret - who also lost his life due to these irresponsible people.

 

[Rayemonde]

June 2013:

Carrie Waldo, 27, from Grain Valley, Jackson County, pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree child endangerment and was given a one-year suspended sentence as part of the plea deal - but only if she completes the drug program.

She will also have to serve two-year's probation in which time she is not allowed to have any contact with the family's five children...

Investigators later obtained cells phone records and used GPS technology to determine that the Waldos were exchanging text messages from various locations at the time of the ferret attack, when they had said they were at home...

Ryan Waldo pleaded guilty in March to second-degree child endangerment and was ordered to serve 40 hours of community service

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rret-chew-babys-fingers-left-SPARED-jail.html

 

[Rayemonde]

Under his plea deal, Waldo cannot have any contact with his four children. However, FOX 4 has learned Waldo already gave up all parental rights a year ago...

Angela Simpkins of a ferret rescue group is furious the 35-year-old avoided jail time.

"That's horrific for the crime that was committed When you think about what happened to the child, and to the ferret, and what these parents were doing when this all happened," she said.

Before his son lost his fingers, there appeared to be other incidents.

While on stand, Miller asked Waldo, "you were aware the ferret had bitten some of the other children? You don't have to give names." Waldo said yes, saying he was aware the ferret had "nipped" at them.

Four days before the incident with his baby's fingers, the family had offered to let Simpkins adopt the ferret.

"Their landlords asked me if I would take the ferret and I immediately said 'yes,' and then the people declined to turn over [him]," she said.

http://fox4kc.com/2013/03/08/man-receives-2-years-probation-for-ferret-that-chewed-sons-fingers/

 

[Hoosgirl]

Well, that is infuriating. The ferret had bitten the baby before AND the parents left the baby home alone with it, according to their cell phones. And they get probation and community service??

 

[Rayemonde]

Before the incident, the couple's landlord had reportedly helped them get in touch with a ferret rescue group due to animal's tendency to bite.
However the family decided to keep the ferret in the home, according to a text message sent from the boy's mother to the ferret rescue group that was obtained by the station.
"Kids voting no right now but it probably won't be long before he nips baby again and they get over it," Carrie allegedly wrote. "Not sure if we wanna get rid of him yet. The kids r cryin bout it so we'll let u know."

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/878244

 

[Rayemonde]

July 2013:

Last month Manners also had directed that Carrie Waldo have no contact with any of the children. They have been adopted, are in the process of being adopted, or are living with other relatives.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/loca...t-sent-to-jail-for-30-days.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Rayemonde]

January 2014:

Jackson County Judge Kenneth Garrett III issued an arrest warrant for Carrie Waldo, 28, for failing to appear at her [probation violation] hearing...

According to court documents, Waldo violated her probation in three instances:

1) Failure to obey laws. 2) Failure to get permission to associate with person with felony, misdemeanor or currently under supervision of the Board of Probation and Parole. 3) Consuming and possessing a controlled substance not prescribed by a Licensed Medical Practitioner.

http://m.examiner.net/article/20140117/News/140118909