Our shelter takes in rabbits, rodents & ferrets.  For those of you
interested, we currently have:
 
Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House, a Seattle Shelter (which is
only 5 miles down the road from the Washington Ferret Shelter in Bothell)
 
     54 Ferrets
     23 Rabbits
     10 Guinea Pigs
     13 Rats
      2 Chinchillas
     11 Russian Dwarf Hamsters
       6 Golden Hamsters
       7 Gerbils
       1 Small White Mouse
 
Rabbit Meadows Sanctuary (Redmond, WA)
Just over 200 feral rabbits who are now around 6 years old, so the
population is dwindling not increasing.
 
Foster Care
      2 Guinea Pigs
      6 Ferrets
      6 Baby Rats
     12 Rabbits
 
Tara says:
>Sandi,correct me if i'm wrong,i'm sure you will:) as ferrets going into
>her facility had to be in good health,she did not take in sick ones.
>(that came from your mouth to my ear a few years ago) But the fact Sandi
>has that many is really upsetting.... "
 
If Tara says I've spoken to her, I'm sure I must have, but I've no
idea who she is (sorry, please re-introduce yourself the next time you're
in :-).  I've said numerous times that I *wish* we didn't have to take in
ill ferrets, but sadly many of the ferrets we take in *are* ill.  As with
all shelters many of our older rescues experience shelter shock and die
shortly after arrival.  In addition to the ferrets in Dr. Cathy Johnson's
adrenal study, we also have 8 adrenal ferrets receiving monthly lupron
shots.  We are currently soup feeding 6 others.  We took 3 ferrets (and
1 guinea pig) to the vet today for x-rays to check for stones in the
urethra.  Mr. Orson has a heart murmur.  Squeak has emphysema, Sally has
insulonoma.  There are others with a bunch of miscellaneous problems,
some as non-serious as just being old.  Our yearly vet bills go into
the $10,000 area every year.  Last year 78% of that vet expense was for
ferret care with the remaining 22% spread among rabbits, guinea pigs,
chinchillas and rats.  As many shelters do, we sell supplies in an
attempt to support our rescue so that we don't have to beg as much as
others do.  There are many shelters on the FML who must always ask for
donations, our shelter is not one of those.  As a matter of fact, the
sales to our rabbit customers are what supports our ferret rescue. :-)
 
In a separate ferret area (built by a volunteer who donates time to our
shelter AND to the WFR) we have 15 of our less ill and older ferrets -
for anyone interested in looking at these ferrets (some almost naked
because of advanced adrenal disease) just come in and look.  Their
play yard is right next to the adoptable ferrets play yard.  Nothing is
behind closed doors here.  Anyone caring to check for themselves instead
of listening to fictional stories is welcome.
 
I'm not sure what's upsetting about having 54 ferrets in our shelter.
Should we have turned them away?  Or is it upsetting because so many
people are dumping their ferrets?  It would be wonderful if we had
someone waiting to adopt each ferret as they arrived, but it just doesn't
happen.  We have over 20 steady volunteers helping us here in Seattle
(including at least 3 who are FML members).  One wonderful FML person
comes every 2 weeks to clean all 108 ears, and clips an enormous number
of nails.  Another FML couple comes in twice a week to clean cages.  (Our
cages are cleaned every day and hammocks changed weekly.) Except for some
ill ferrets who just want to be held, all get out daily for as long as
they want to play (usually 3-4 hours).  When they all go back to sleep
we pick them up, put those who are not in their cage back and let the
next cage out to play.
 
There are another 9 volunteers who take care of the rabbits at Rabbit
Meadows Sanctuary.  We always need MORE volunteers, but we're doing ok.
 
Our shelter works VERY closely with the Washington Ferret Rescue and both
of us help each other out.  If their shelter has adopted out all (or
most) of their adoptable ferrets, we will send some of our adoptable
ferrets to them and vice versa.  We've taken their ferrets and they've
taken ours.  We have an excellent working relationship.  Our primary
working agreement is that neither of us will turn away a ferret.  If
there's not room at our shelter we take the ferret and transfer him
to WFR and vice versa.  (And at that point, it doesn't matter if the
ferret is young or old, healthy or ill.)
 
I don't know why, mentioning that our shelter is in Washington state,
because Charleen neglected to, is "causing problems" that's a huge over
reaction to my post.  According to their volunteer coordinator, Charleen
is only an occasional volunteer at WFR, she's not part of their board of
directors and has no knowledge of the agreement that our shelter has with
WFR.  Hopefully enough said about that.
 
I'm always very happy to brag about what we do here, and this has been
an opportunity to do so.  We are open to the public.  We are a 501(c)(3)
organization.  There's no point in believing what people who may be
jealous of our organization say, please come visit our ferrets and check
us out for yourselves. :-)
 
Sandi
 
Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House
a non-profit animal shelter
14325 Lake City Way NE
Seattle, WA 98125
(206)365-9105
Open 6 days/week (closed Tue) or visit our on-line store at:
http://www.rabbitrodentferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 4182]