Charlene wrote:
>I am sure if you run a shelter you know how much isinvolved in it and
>how many times things get behind that needs to be done.  The director of
>the shelter had a full time job,taking care of many teenagers besides
>her own.  A husband that often did not have a job, so therefore
>everything was put on her shoulders.  Never in the years that the
>shelter has been open have there been that many volunteers so everything
>involved with the shelter was put on just a few peoples shoulders.
 
Absolutely correct and this is part of the problem.  Nobody has any time
for record keeping or fund raising or much else.  The shelter is filthy
and the volunteers are there long enough to scoop poop, change bedding
and let them out for a few minutes to get some exercise.  Occasionally 2
days will pass before someone looks in on them.  I have been there more
than once to discover that someone missed filling a water bottle or food
bowl.  Whenever I went to the shelter, there wasn't a time that I didn't
spend hours on my knees in front of the bathtub cleaning litter boxes
and mopping floors.  There's just too much to do and not enough people
to do it.
 
>I don't think Dr. Delaney ever said that Lupron was the first choice,
>the only way you know for sure what type of adrenal tumor you are
>dealing with is to have surgery on the ferret and send it out to the
>patholgist to confirm cancer.
 
Cathy's choice is obvious by her actions.  She does neither of the above
and I have 5 WFRS adrenal ferrets to prove it.  There are many more in
foster care.
 
>In the past adrenal sugeries here in the Seattle, Washington area were
>costing over $1000.00, how many people have that kind of money for each
>ferret they have.
 
This is a sad fact and at the risk of sounding cold, if someone can't
afford medical care for their pets, they shouldn't have them.  To make a
conscious choice to own an animal knowing you can't financially provide
for it, is purely self indulgent and without any regard for its welfare.
 
>I know for a fact that Dr. Cathy Johnson Delaney is one of the best
>Ferret Vets I have ever known.
 
Yes, one of the most knowledgeable ferret vets I have ever known too.
She is indeed very capable, but healing ferrets is not her priority.
Research is.
 
>I would trust her to do any surgery on my ferrets, if I could get her to
>do it.
 
Very good point.  IF you could get her to do it.  Which you can't.
 
>I trust her completely, which I can't say for some of the other vets I
>have went to in the past with myferrets that call themselves exotic
>vets.  But then I don't always have a choice of who I can take my
>ferrets to when there is very few qualifiedFerret Vets in the Seattle,
>Wa. area that can do Ferret surgery
 
Exactly my point.  This is the same belief held by the core WFRS
volunteers.  And also why Cathy has been able hold those hostage who
truly love their ferrets and are afraid they will lose the only person
they feel is capable of treating them.
 
Charlene - you are truly one of the nicest, most forgiving, non
judgemental people I have ever met.  I believe that you are aware of
more than what you are willing to share due to your loyalty to the
shelter, which I respect.  However, Leanne is not running the shelter
any longer and I know you agree that it has slowly been coming apart
since her departure.  Nobody is in charge and everybody is in charge.
It's madness.
[Posted in FML issue 4382]