This posting is to not only to Betty and her bunch but to other ferret
shelter operators who don't know what to do in case you are questioning
the quality of life that a ferret that is now in your care will have when
the owner comes back to claim it.
 
First, you need to understand that a person who cannot afford to care for
their ferret, cannot afford to sue you either, which is their one option
to getting their fuzzies back.
 
Secondly, while in your care care, they are responsible for any medical
cost that may be incurred while in your care and by law must repay you
for such costs.
 
Most important of all, here at Especially Ferrets Inc., we do not do
things on a handshake with even our best clients and even friends.  We
have documentation, Boarding Agreements, Surrender Agreements, Adoption
Agreements and such for every ferret that crosses our threshold.  I don't
care if they are here for just one day.  We aren't here to make friends,
we are here for the best interest for all of the ferrets.  For every one
person that hates us for what we do, there are a thousand that love us and
understand our mission at the shelter.  In Betty's case in particular, that
lady would never have gotten her ferrets back from us.  And we she shows up
at the shelter with ten police cars to get her ferrets back, I would just
show them the document that she signed and her bill for the adrenal
surgeries and they would go to her and say, " lady, you owe these people
money according to the document you signed and if you want your ferrets
back, you have to take them to court and sue them and win in court.
 
Please understand this, This situation rarely happens as I usually am
agreeable to a point and most folks will let us help them work it out.  I
could personally take their ferret in to one of my vets and have them make
payments to the shelter for their bill, or have them come in to the shelter
to work off their bill at $7.00 an hour, or barter their services.
 
If you all remember recently, I did a posting on two little girls who had
their canines cut by a really mean lady.  She wanted me to get these two
little girls bred.  I had her sign an agreement that I was boarding them
for a particular reason and that she was responsible for their medical
care.  I took them out of her possesion and when she called to get them
back, she was informed that she would not be getting them back until she
reimbursed Especially Ferrets $2500.00 each for their dental care.  She
showed up here at the shelter with six cop cars full of cops and went home
without her ferrets.  She has neither sued me or called me since and I
really don't care if she does.  The winner here was the ones that are most
improtant here, the fuzzies.  Understand that people that take good care of
animals have more friends than they know sometimes.  It gives you the edge
against those that don't.
 
Hugs to all,
ferretguy
[Posted in FML issue 3105]