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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Inseparable ferrets to marry at Christmas | Inseparable ferrets to marry at Christmas |
| (4 months later) | |
| Amid the claims and counter-claims of investigative journalism, sometimes made with a ferocity unfamiliar in everyday life, it's maybe comforting to know that the other sort is still going strong. | Amid the claims and counter-claims of investigative journalism, sometimes made with a ferocity unfamiliar in everyday life, it's maybe comforting to know that the other sort is still going strong. |
| The headline on this post comes from our colleagues at North News who have it in turn from the Northern Echo (no stranger to tough reporting when necessary, with W.T.Stead and Harry Evans among illustrious past editors). | The headline on this post comes from our colleagues at North News who have it in turn from the Northern Echo (no stranger to tough reporting when necessary, with W.T.Stead and Harry Evans among illustrious past editors). |
| A dotty story, yes, but part of the daily round and involving at least two contemporary UK icons: the ferret (our native equivalent in appearance of the 'simples' meerkat) and the industrial museum, in this case county Durham's outstanding Beamish. A pair of the first are tying the knot on Christmas Eve, dressed in appropriate clothing – white silk diamante gown for the jill and a tails for her hob – in the miners' village chapel at the second. | A dotty story, yes, but part of the daily round and involving at least two contemporary UK icons: the ferret (our native equivalent in appearance of the 'simples' meerkat) and the industrial museum, in this case county Durham's outstanding Beamish. A pair of the first are tying the knot on Christmas Eve, dressed in appropriate clothing – white silk diamante gown for the jill and a tails for her hob – in the miners' village chapel at the second. |
| A stunt? Obviously, but one for a good cause: North Pennine Ferret Welfare which combines the rescue of maltreated or unwanted pets with working to change the animals' somewhat iffy image. This has made great strides in recent years thanks to celebrity ferret owners, including Madonna, Jonathan Ross and Paris Hilton. | A stunt? Obviously, but one for a good cause: North Pennine Ferret Welfare which combines the rescue of maltreated or unwanted pets with working to change the animals' somewhat iffy image. This has made great strides in recent years thanks to celebrity ferret owners, including Madonna, Jonathan Ross and Paris Hilton. |
| The Guardian reported a survey of ferret ownership and attitudes two years ago which found, among other things, that they were most popular in London and the south east. Traditionally, they had been seen along with cobbles and whippets as part of the culture of the 'old north', complete with ferret legging competitions whose details can be examined here. | The Guardian reported a survey of ferret ownership and attitudes two years ago which found, among other things, that they were most popular in London and the south east. Traditionally, they had been seen along with cobbles and whippets as part of the culture of the 'old north', complete with ferret legging competitions whose details can be examined here. |
| Kitting ferrets out as little people, as at the coming wedding in the chapel of Beamish's pit village, may seem twee or even offensive but that too has a long history. Whether they like it or not is probably a question which will never be resolved, but they seldom object enough to bite their dressers. And much of our national attitude to animals, and the sentimentality which greatly helps charities working for them, is based on anthropomorphism, from Cock Robin to Peter Rabbit. | Kitting ferrets out as little people, as at the coming wedding in the chapel of Beamish's pit village, may seem twee or even offensive but that too has a long history. Whether they like it or not is probably a question which will never be resolved, but they seldom object enough to bite their dressers. And much of our national attitude to animals, and the sentimentality which greatly helps charities working for them, is based on anthropomorphism, from Cock Robin to Peter Rabbit. |
| The Beamish pair are called Lady Truffle and Crusher Hoblet and their ceremony, attended by 40 enthusiasts and 75 ferrets, will be watched via videolinks in Australia and the United States. There will be a best man, two ushers and three bridesmaids, all ferrets, and needless to say these days, Crusher has a Facebook page and 1,689 friends on it (plus a Facebook mini-controversy which led to a second Reinstate Crusher Hoblet page. | The Beamish pair are called Lady Truffle and Crusher Hoblet and their ceremony, attended by 40 enthusiasts and 75 ferrets, will be watched via videolinks in Australia and the United States. There will be a best man, two ushers and three bridesmaids, all ferrets, and needless to say these days, Crusher has a Facebook page and 1,689 friends on it (plus a Facebook mini-controversy which led to a second Reinstate Crusher Hoblet page. |
| Karen Webb, who runs North Pennine Ferret Welfare with her partner Barrie Bellwood, tells the Echo's Gavin Engelbrecht: | Karen Webb, who runs North Pennine Ferret Welfare with her partner Barrie Bellwood, tells the Echo's Gavin Engelbrecht: |
| The two have been totally inseparable for three years. If we take one out, the other will not eat or drink anything. | The two have been totally inseparable for three years. If we take one out, the other will not eat or drink anything. |
| While this is a bit of fun we are trying to get a serious message across – that ferrets are not nasty animals. They make excellent pets and you can train them to live indoors and you can take them for walks like dogs. We try to educate people how to feed them and take care of them. | While this is a bit of fun we are trying to get a serious message across – that ferrets are not nasty animals. They make excellent pets and you can train them to live indoors and you can take them for walks like dogs. We try to educate people how to feed them and take care of them. |
| Her chief vet Jason Atherton will give Lady Truffle away. | Her chief vet Jason Atherton will give Lady Truffle away. |
| You can remind yourself of the day in 2008 when the dancing ferret troupe failed to perform and tried to escape at the Manchester auditions of Britain's Got Talent on this YouTube clip here. | You can remind yourself of the day in 2008 when the dancing ferret troupe failed to perform and tried to escape at the Manchester auditions of Britain's Got Talent on this YouTube clip here. |
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