"Sadly, even in the animal "business" it takes people willing to give
up their animals if there are to be people who are going to operate
shelters... and vice versa.  If it is your heart's desire and only passion
to shelter abandoned and/or abused/neglected animals, then where would
these animals come from if not from people who "developed allergies", "had
to move", "were having a baby", or "couldn't stand the smell anymore"?
 
I would have to disagree with Renee regarding the checks and balance system
that requires shelters.  The folks I know that operate shelters do it to
help homeless ferrets, keep them from being euthanized, and to provide a
decent life for the ferrets until they are adopted or perhaps the rest of
the ferrets life - since so many people relinquish terminally ill ferrets.
Many of the shelter operators work full time jobs and do all their shelter
work at nights or on week-ends.  Unlike social service workers, these
shelter operators are not earning salaries.  As a matter of fact, they have
to expend much energy on trying to raise enough funds to provide for the
basic necessities for their wards.  I know for a fact that they would love
to have time to spend fussing over their own personal ferrets and they wish
that there weren't so many unwanted ferrets - and that their unselfish
services weren't needed.  They might like to be able to take a vacation, be
able to celebrate a holiday without cleaning cages, feeding and medication
ferrets - not to mention answering telephone call and call about ferret
problems, adoptions and relinquishments.  No, being a shelter operator
cannot be compared at all to having a social services job with pay and
benefits.
 
I am certain that many shelters sort of "happened."  I don't operate a
shelter, although I am on the board of directors and volunteer at our local
shelter, The Ferret Nook, Inc.  I remember when I thought that the "third"
ferret was too many.  Now I am up to seven - and the last four were my own
rescues, (not adopted ones from a shelter) one of them to be killed because
he was adrenal and bald.  He is now a furry happy guy.  For the most part I
think that shelters exist our of need and not because somebody wakes up one
morning and thinks, "Hey, I think I will start a ferret shelter today."
[Posted in FML issue 3071]