>In the past few weeks I have talked to people about the strict adoption of
>ferret's.  What are the reasons shelters do not adopt to people and how do
>they come up with this?
>
>I've heard some weird reasons people get turned down and I myself just
>don't understand it.
>
>Things like you have too many already
>No transportation
>You don't have enough knowledge
>Your too young
>shelter worried about a persons income
>the knowledge you have is not correct
>personality clashes
 
Our reasons are more like: unvaccinated pets, history of losing/giving
away/killing animals; unwillingness to allow us to contact vets/landlords;
unwillingness to spend any money on the animal (if they gripe about our
rather low adoption fee to our faces, we tend to wonder if they'd pay a
vet bill), or any comments made in an interview that make us believe that
the person does not value animals highly or knows nothing about ferrets
and is unwilling to learn.
 
So I guess the last 3 sort of come into play.
 
Really, though, it's just a case of making sure these little guys end up
in good homes.  Someone who doesn't want to spend $50 on a ferret probably
won't want to spend $150 when they need medical care, or even $40 a year
for vaccinations and checkups.  Low income level is not a barrier--it's the
attitude that matters.  Someone who's convinced that ferrets don't need
large cages, or that they should be kept in glass aquariums filled with
wood chips, is not likely to really give a ferret the time and living
conditions it deserves.
 
The folks who give up their animals to us come from all walks of life and
have a lot of reasons for doing so, some of them good.  And almost all of
them make us promise we'll do everything we can to make sure they go to
good homes.  So of course we're picky.  If people have a good heart and an
open mind, and are willing to read our informational book, talk to us, ask
us questions, and accept that the right ferret for them might not be at the
shelter JUST THIS INSTANT--then they'll almost certainly eventually go home
with one.
 
And "too young" is only a concern if the person is under 18, as far as I'm
concerned.  Although we don't adopt out to homes unless everyone who lives
there gives permission.  Common sense.
 
Jen and the Crazy Business
[Posted in FML issue 2853]