I just read some of the replies about the Valerie posts and wanted to
apologize for a slight misunderstanding and also clarify what I said.  A
couple of people directed comments to me, so I wanted to respond.  First
of all, I admit I did misunderstand the situation somewhat having not
kept up on the previous threads on the FML.  I only read the responses to
and about Valerie's situation where several people mentioned that she had
taken her ferrets to a shelter when she thought she was going in to the
air force and then later decided she wanted them back when she didn't get
accepted.  Those people obviously didn't know all of the facts when they
posted, something I am a little guilty of myself now..and for that I
apologise.
 
BUT.... I still stick by most of what I said.  It really doesn't matter
whether she took them to a shelter or found people she personally knew to
adopt the ferrets.  That isn't really the point here.  My point was that
once you give an animal away to someone for any reason and they become
attached you can't just go back later and say you want them back.  And as
you'll notice in the latest response Valerie posted, she is planning to
attend college anyway which means she won't be around to care for them.
She said she thinks it's in the ferrets' best interests to let them stay
where they are in a good home.  So maybe advising her to ask for the
ferrets back wasn't the best thing under the circumstances when you don't
know all the facts.
 
I don't think she was irresponsible at all and never meant to imply that.
I was just saying that it wouldn't be right to expect the owners to give
them back to her or criticise them for not doing so, because she made a
choice (whatever the reason) to give them up and has to live with that
choice.  It was irrelevant to me whether she gave them to a shelter or
to someone she knew.
 
I also disagree with the whole discrimination thing based on age.  A
person in their 30's, 40's and up can have a life that is unstable just
like anyone else.  A lot of older people have jobs where they have to
travel and be away from home a good part of the time, so I don't think
the age of the person adopting has much to do with it.  Some people in
their 20's are actually more settled than people who are older.  Let's
not age discriminate here.  I do understand that shelter people want to
be careful of who they adopt to and make sure that the animals are going
to stable loving homes.  I just think they might want to look beyond the
age of the person a bit and not go solely by that.  I was always pretty
responsible as a young child and teen and now that I'm getting closer
to 30..*yikes* lol  People shouldn't be judged because of race, age or
gender, but by their general character.  Just my two cents! :)
[Posted in FML issue 4075]