Club ferrets out kids who want to help critters

Erica D. Johnson

Friday, Oct. 25, 2002 | 2:35 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: Oct. 26, 2002

When the bell rang at Brian and Teri Cram Middle School on Thursday, one group of students stayed late to meet a special guest-- a 1-year-old ferret named Godzilla.

C.J. Jones, a rescue worker with the local 24 Carat Ferret Rescue and Shelter, brought the creature and three of his friends to the school to teach students about caring for ferrets.

The group of 15 kids sat on the stage in the school's theater, raising their hands eagerly and asking questions ranging from the ferret's sense of smell to when they grow hair.

"Are ferrets part weasels?" Kayla Royster, a sixth grader, asked as the kids passed Godzilla around the room.

"Yes, they're the only part of the weasel family that are domesticated," Jones said. "In England, the ferret was used for gardening and weeding and keeping rodents out of gardens."

For members of the Critter Club, socializing with ferrets, goats, horses or snakes is common. Elizabeth Wines, a computer teacher at the North Las Vegas middle school near Ann Road and Camino Al Norte, created the after-school group to teach kids about various animal species.

Wines started the club two months ago when she wanted to raise money for Jones' ferret shelter. With about 190 sixth, seventh and eighth graders, the club has attracted more members than any of the school's other organizations.

An animal lover herself, Wines owns six ferrets, two cats and a dog.

"My mission is to build compassion, empathy and responsibility for kids toward animals," Wines said. "Young kids want to change the world and help animals. I'm surprised no one thought of this earlier."

The Critter Club holds fund-raisers such as bake sales to help pay for the surgeries of animals in local shelters.

Two weeks ago the students raised $400 at Applebees' Dine for Benefit fund-raiser, in which clubs keep 20 percent of the cost of the meal for each customer they bring in.

In September, the club sponsored Jasmine, a ferret who had lost her hair due to tumors in her adrenal glands.

The club raised money to pay for Jasmine's surgery and kept track of her recovery though Internet pictures sent by Jasmine's veterinarian.

"It's so important that kids interact with animals," Jones said. "It teaches them responsibility, and it teaches them how to be kind. In this day and age, kids really need that."

Most students who belong to the club said they joined because of their love for animals.

"I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up," sixth grader Alexis Bennet said. "So this is like a head start."

Other students said their desire to help sick animals made the Critter Club appealing.

"It's a lot of fun," sixth grader Kaitlann Moore said. "Plus you get to help out animals in need. Asking people on the street to help out animals is a pretty good feeling."

Chris Ewing, an eighth grader, said he thought the club would be the only way to help sick animals.

"It's not like you can just go to a shelter and say 'I want to help,' " he said.

Wines said when she registered the club with the Clark County School District, officials told her they'd never heard of a group like it.

At times, even Wines is surprised her idea took flight.

"Who would have ever thought?" she said. "It's such a weird idea. I can't believe the enthusiasm of the kids. It just took off."

After meeting Godzilla, sixth grader Jennifer Adams was ready to add to her collection of a python and three dogs.

"Now I want two ferrets," she said. "Today I learned that they're a lot cooler than I thought they were."