The animals started appearing in boxes on his doorstep. Especially Ferrets is the only licensed ferret rescue league in Colorado. Last year, Horton took in 900 critters and found homes for more than 700. Mary Hiatt, a veterinarian in Boulder, adopted a ferret from Horton two years ago as a pet for her daughter. The 2-pound ferret, named Diamond, bounces and tumbles with the family cats and usually wins, she says.
Diamond chases balls and goes on walks in a harness.
And he's mischievous. They get into everything. Apparently, a lot of people don't mind buying new shoes. Ferrets are the third most popular pet in America, behind dogs and cats. Ferret ownership has doubled in the past five years, with 6 million ferrets in American homes.