Dear Khouri,
Hi.  My name is Hershey.  I liv with my mom and lots of udder guys in
Alexandria, VA.  I have ADV!
 
I am writing to you because Mom says you do lots to help da little guys in
da ferret shelters.  Mom gets real worried about dem guys - dat dey may get
da ADV like me.  She gots real upset a week ago, cause one of her friends
who has a shelter found out some of da ferrets dere had ADV.  Mom says dis
could turn into a real pwoblem, cause den da shelter has ta close an stuff.
 
Anywho, Mom wrote to her friends to ask dem to help her think of sumthin to
do, an dey sugested she write to SOS.  Since you help da SOS folks, Mom
said maybe I should write to you, so I am.
 
Since Mom splains the pwoblem pretty good in her letter, I jus copied it
onta dis.  Please, talk to your hoomans, an see if dis is sumthin dey can
do.
 
By da way, right now I am doin more or less OK.  But somtimes I gets real
sick.  I gets so tired, an I lose weight, even dough I eats lots of good
food.  Mom gives me lots o luv and udder stuff to help, but she says I will
pwobably go to da Bridge too soon.  Ferret guys shouldn't hav to go through
dis.  Your frien, Hershey
 
****************************************
 
With XXXXX's announcement of her ADV positive's in the shelter, I am
becoming concerned about a problem that is just starting, but I fear may
soon get out of hand.
 
I have always felt that shelters were at the greatest risk of becoming
affected by ADV.  People that turn ferrets in to shelters usually are
not=20as ferret aware as some, and may not provide good medical histories
at the time they turn the ferrets in.  A lot of them may not even have
gotten regular medical care for their ferrets.  Also, ADV can cause many
symptoms that mimic other ferret problems, so the shelter may take in a
sick animal thinking it is one problem when it is actually ADV.  And many
ferrets that have ADV appear healthy and normal.  All of you, I am sure,
are aware of this.
 
What concerns me is that as shelters become infected, and have to close
their doors, they may fall on financial hardship.  No real shelter operates
at a profit, but at least when ferrets can be adopted out for a fee, some
money is coming in to help offset expenses.  When a shelter closes and
becomes an ADV+ shelter, ferrets may come in, but it is to stay.  And,
because these animals are sick, they are going to generate additional
medical expenses for the caretaker.
 
Currently, I am aware of 6 shelters that have fallen into this situation.
Most of them have clubs or organizations that are helping them to bare the
burden, but as more fall into this category, I am sure that will change.
I think the ferret community needs to take some proactive steps to find
solutions for the problem.
 
I don't know what the solution to this problem is, but I do have an idea
of something that could be done to help.
 
What if a foster program was set up for ADV positive ferrets in ADV
positive shelters.  I know that some shelters run foster programs for their
permanent residents, but rather then an individual shelter program, I am
talking about a national program.  If possible, it would be run through a
qualifying non-profit organization, so that amounts given would be tax
deductible.
 
People participating would pay in a set monthly amount, and in return
would become foster parents to a specific ADV+ ferret.  Shelters would
participate only if they chose to, and if they did participate, would be
expected to provide monthly updates about the fostered ferret (probably via
email) to the foster parents.  Monies could be handles through Pay Pal.
Money would go into the non-profit, and then be paid out to the shelter.
Usually shelters that have similar programs ask for $10.00 or $15.00 a
month, but since these ferrets can be expected to require additional
medical care, maybe set the amount at $20.00.
 
I know that some shelter operators would probably not want to bother with
sending emails out with reports about the ferrets, and that is fine.  No
one would be requiring them to participate.  But for those that wanted to
participate, the extra money that came in might really help them out.
 
Anyway, just a thought.
Take care, all.
Danee
[Posted in FML issue 3367]