Keeping a pet ferret on an allotment?

marchmainhare

Hi guys,

I'm writing to find out if there is any current Irish legislation prohibiting someone renting an allotment from keeping an animal on their plot provided that the animal is comfortable, well cared for, and visited every day as a matter of course. My partner and I are students in Dublin and due to his upcoming hip operation, her father has given us a month to find "alternate arrangements" for her grumpy rescue ferret Kaiju.

Obviously she's devastated and doesn't want him to be put down, but we think he won't rehome easily due to trust issues and specific eating requirements so we've been considering renting a private allotment under the condition that we can build him an insulated shed and visit every day to feed him and take him for walks.

Our landlady has made it clear that she doesn't want pets living in our apartment, but is open to animal visitors from time to time, so if there was a cold spell or he got sick we could bring him home as needed to take care of him. What do you guys think, do we have a case?

Ms Doubtfire1

I think that would be up to the owner of the allotment. Personally I don't see why not as long as you make sure Mr. Grumpy has all his comforts...

seagull

It's not so much legislation as the rules of the allotment. Some have rules that if you're not producing enough, they won't renew the lease. So even if you can find one that's ok with you putting up a ferret house, you might wind up having to grow a load of fruit and veg to keep the allotment. Most allow you to put up a shed on the allotment, but limit the size.

Stigura

Marchmainhare; I've absolutely no idea what things are like in Dublin. Allotments, as a rule, though tend to have a certain view on creatures being kept .....

Here's an idea ye may ~ in such dire circumstances ~ wish to consider though:

Put ad's about, in what ever places you people put ad's. Everywhere may be a good start. Say that, due to circumstances, ye wish to beg / rent, what ever, a yard or two of someone's back yard. To park ye ferret hutch.

Ye looking at two possible takers here. 1. A fellow ferret keeper who will come to the rescue of a fellow in distress.

Or even 2. An older person, living alone and lonely. Such a soul may welcome the prospect of a daily visitor, to stop and have a cup of tea with them.

Just don't let the bloody ferret go, if the latter!

aonb

OP, who currently takes care of the ferret in your oh's fathers home?
Is the ferret in the fathers garden?
Im confused as to why he would give this ultimatum to his daughter because of his hip operation.... Is it because your father is currently caring for the ferret and wont be able to do it while recovering from hip surgery??

check out the facebook page; Irishferrets - worth asking for help/advise on there

Heres another: http://irishferretforum.proboards.com/

http://ourferrets.wikifoundry.com/

intheclouds

Why cant the girlfriend continue to care for the ferret in the fathers house rather than on an allotment?

I replied on your other thread on this OP and I will repeat here, it just feels a bit cruel to me to cage an animal on an allotment in a shed and only visit it. They may sleep long hours but it doesnt sound like much of a life. Realistically how much time will be spent with the ferret daily in the depths of winter when weather conditions are difficult and the shed is not heated? What will happen if it snows like it did a few years ago and roads are impassable? I think keeping an animal alone where it has to be travelled to/from to look after is a recipe for disaster.

Id also worry about vandalism and/or the possibility of the ferret escaping the shed.