AVON VALLEY FERRETS
About us/Shows
We have been associated with and experienced in keeping ferrets for a combined total of over 40 years in both the working environment and as keeping them as pets. We offer general advice on ferrets in regards to subjects like health, husbandry, housing, and feeding. We do and will always recommend that you seek professional veterinary advice if you feel or think that you may have a ferret with a suspected illness or medical condition.
We also build traditional ferret carrying boxes to order. For further details and pictures, please browse our new box building facebook page:
Ferret rescue work has always been important to us and in the past, we have worked in close partnership with our local wildlife rescue/hospital, veterinary clinics, and other ferret welfare groups. It is though and with much regret that we no longer have the facilities to undertake this work. However, in the most extreme cases where ferrets are in need of care, we will endeavour to do our best to help.
Avon Valley Ferrets work closely with wildlife organisations such as the Vincent Wildlife Trust, Natural England and the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital based just outside of Salisbury, helping with survey work and contributing to the conservation and rehabilitation of our now protected native wild polecat - a very elusive but stunning creature related closely to the ferret.
We travel to and have attended many shows, fairs, schools and fetes entertaining and educating a great number of people in many counties across the country from as far as: Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Dorset in the South, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall in the West, Berkshire, and Kent in the East as well as Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire in the North. We have also traveled to Wales on many occasions! We hold our own public liability insurance with risk assessments and the show stand we offer comprises of the following segmented categories which are:
1. A display of ferrets in show cages for all to see.
2. An area of reference and information on all aspects of keeping ferrets.
3. *The working side of ferrets describing how ferrets are used for rabbit control within our countryside including a display of various pieces of equipment used for this.
4. *A conservation area set aside for our native European polecat highlighting the once decline of this stunning animal and it's now present return to areas of the British Isles where it nearly became extinct. Because of the importance of this subject to us, we also bring along a verified tame wild polecat so people can see at close quarters what beautiful creatures they truly are.
(*Subject to change at different shows/venues - please contact us to discuss your requirements)
Finally our arena displays of firstly *ferret racing - for fun and to entertain crowds and members of the general public and to raise funds for charity and ferret welfare and secondly our *working ferret demonstrations incorporating the age-old traditional method of making and setting nets used for rabbit control within the countryside.
(*Subject to change at different shows/venues. Please contact us to discuss your requirements)
Ferret racing has been held at country shows and fetes for many years and has proven to be very popular at such events. It gives everyone a chance to participate in our displays by having a small flutter on the outcome of the race, eventually by being both either winners if their ferret comes first or helping contribute donations to charity and animal welfare if they lose!
Our working ferret / long netting displays demonstrate to people how ferrets are worked when used for rabbit control. Also shown is how traditional purse and long nets are made by hand and how they are set when working with ferrets within the countryside. Our demonstrations promote a timeless tradition from days gone by as well as the most environmentally friendly solution to controlling rabbits which are still being used and kept alive by ferret owners of our present day.
We, Avon Valley Ferrets, pride ourselves on the belief that the shows we attend for the organisers who provide such events for the general public, that their needs are of the utmost importance. Being risk assessed and insurance backed, our entire team and set-up are committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of what we do is from repeat requests from show organisers asking us back as well as referrals from others. We would and will always welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver to you the best service in what we provide on the public show circuit whether it be for countryside shows, game fairs, craft fairs, steam fairs, summer shows & fetes, charity fundraising events or school educational talks.
Paul & Camilla Pountain
Avon Valley Ferrets
Stonehenge
Salisbury
Wiltshire
Telephone:
01980 670767 (Home) / 07783 475704 (Paul) / 07542 534475 (Camilla)
**2021 SHOW DATES**
KINDLY SPONSORED BY
GILBERTSON & PAGE LTD.,
Dr. JOHNS MERLIN FERRET FOOD BRAND.
COMING SOON!
IN LIGHT OF CURRENT COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, EVENTS ARE BEING BOOKED FOLLOWING ALL CURRENT GOVERNMENT AND COVID GUIDELINES
The Cotswold show - 3rd/4th July
Wychwood forest fair - 22nd August
The Romsey show - 11th September
Frampton country fair - 12th September
Previous shows personally attended include:
The CLA Game Fair
Hamptworth Country Fair
West Country Game Fair
The Royal Game Fair
The Welsh Game Fair
East Tytherley Country Fair
RWAS Smallholders & Garden Festival
Living Heritage Craft & Country Shows
Thame & Oxfordshire County Show
Amesbury Show & Carnival
Durrington Show & Vintage Vehicle Gathering
Royal County of Berkshire (Newbury) Show
Meon Springs Fly Fishery Country Experience Day
HD Fairs - The Chilterns Show
Heddington & Stockley Steam Rally & Country Fair
Natural England Open Farm Day
Nottinghamshire County Show
The North Devon Agricultural Society Show
Abingdon Air & Country Show
Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital Fund Raising Day
Native & Rare Breeds Animal Exhibition
The Torbay Steam Fair
Rabbit control for the Eden Project, Cornwall
PLEASE BROWSE OUR SHOW DAYS PHOTO GALLERY BELOW -
The old 'ferret-mobile', 'show-wagon', 'mobile-shed'... We have a new one but - It's still a dirty job and something has to do it!!
Amesbury Show - our ferret stand.
Amesbury Show ferret arena.
Cats Protection fund raising day.
Cats Protection fund raising day.
Heddington & Stockley Steam & Country fair.
Robin cooling down - it was hard work and a very hot day!
Relaxing after the days events!
Setting up our stand at Durrington show & vintage vehicle meet.
Hamptworth Country Fayre show ground.
Hamptworth Country Fayre - our ferret stand.
Working ferret/ferreting equipment display.
Hiding a dirty truck! (No, we're not on exercise!)
Mummy... Daddy... SOMEBODY... I've lost the chalk!!
Ferret racing at Hamptworth.
And the winner is.........!?
Off to the arena with nets in hand!
Net setting demonstration at Hamptworth.
Setting a 100yd long net.
Having a well earned break!
Newton Toney summer fete - our ferret stand.
Newton Toney summer fete.
The 'Great Newton Toney steam fair!' Miniature steam engines in the main arena at Newton Toney.
Newton Toney fete.
Bourne River community farm, Laverstock near Salisbury.
Ferret & polecat talk at Bourne River community farm, Laverstock near Salisbury.
Educational talk at Bourne River community farm.
Demonstrating the use of rabbit purse nets.
Our stand at the Native & Rare Breeds Exhibition at Newark show ground Nottinghamshire....
.... Winning us the accolade of 3rd best presented stand at this years event.
Animal display cage section.
General information, working ferret & polecat conservation areas.
Working ferret section.
Polecat conservation area.
Supreme petfoods products.
Working ferret information boards.
Polecat conservation/information boards.
Arena Polecat conservation talk.
NFWS AGM & ferret show 2011. Working ferret stand and winners' prizes display table.
Avon Valley Ferrets polecat conservation stand at the NFWS AGM & ferret show.
NFWS AGM & ferret show - filmed by Channel 4... A very happy sound man!!
A bustling hall for the NFWS AGM & ferret show. The were over 250 entries for the show!
Winners' rosettes and trophies on display with Supreme Petfoods banner in the background - NFWS show sponsor.
Setting up at Meon Springs Fly Fishery on a glorious sunny morning!
AVF show stand at Meon Springs country experience day in association with Orvis.
Our sponsor - Supreme Petfoods.
Crowds gathering for the ferret racing at Abingdon air & country show!
Under starters orders at Abingdon air & country show.
The ferrets posing for the public!
Sharing a moment with Andy the show organiser of Abingdon air & country show.
AVF show stand at the Nottinghamshire County Show.
Inside our stand at the Nottinghamshire County Show.
Working ferret demonstration in the countryside area arena.
Milly the ferret demonstrating her work to the public!
Introducing the runners for the ferret race at the Nottinghamshire County Show.
Working ferret demonstration at East Tytherley country fayre in Hampshire.
East Tytherley country fayre.
'Milly' as always - working hard!
Our stand at East Tytherley country fayre in Hampshire.
Our show stand at Heddington & Stockley Steam & Country Fayre.
Inside our stand at Heddington & Stockley Steam & Country Fayre.
Supreme Petfoods - our sponsors display stand.
Overlooking our stand and arena at Heddington & Stockley.
A 'ferrets-eye' view of the public and show!
Our shared stand for the Countryside Alliance at this year's CLA Game Fair.
Inside one of the marquees in the Countryside Alliance village at the CLA Game Fair.
Ferret & Polecat conservation talk at the The North Devon Agricultural Society Show.
Working ferret & long netting demonstration at the North Devon Agricultural Society Show.
Our stand at the North Devon Agricultural Society Show.
Our stand at the Torbay Steam Fair held near Brixham in Devon.
Ferret racing at the Torbay Steam Fair.
Our stand at the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital fund raising day.
Inside looking at the ferrets on display!
Helping to raise some valuable funds with a little ferret racing!
Promoting the National Ferret Welfare Society as always.
Camilla and Frank taking things easy!
The two of us standing over our promotional banner.
Our new show marquee. Used for the first time at this year's Hamptworth Country Fayre.
Our stand and banner with Hamptworth Lodge (A Jacobean manor house) in the background.
General ferret information board.
'Working ferret' information board with associated equipment.
Our show marquee at the Romsey show.
Working ferret & general ferret information boards.
Ferret & polecat information areas.
Inside a busy show marquee.
Camilla with Alex of Supreme Petfoods in front of our sponsor's stand.
Camilla with Alex of Supreme Petfoods in front of our sponsor's stand.
