Is it my imagination, or is this poster asking for DONATIONS to BUY a
pet store ferret?  I'm sorry, but that just strikes me as wrong.
 
I can see us all pitching in to help SHELTER ferrets, who have been
abandoned by their "caretakers," or to help SICK ferrets, where the
caretakers can't cover the extra (and usually unexpected) expense of
illness or injury.  That's what ferret people do, we help each other
in times of need.  But this doesn't strike me as a need.
 
Also, S. Owings, if you can't afford the $99 USD that it takes to *buy*
the ferret, you also can't afford the hundred or so dollars that
vaccinations will cost, the $20-30 per bag that ferret food costs, the
cage, the vitamins, the toys, the additional vet checkups, and the
medical bills if/when the fuzzy gets ill.  Also, if your mom takes care
of setting up your email and PayPal accounts, I wonder if you're old
enough and mature enough to even realize what you just asked of us?  Ask
your mother to buy you the ferret if you really want it.  Or better yet,
if you're near the Oregon Ferret Shelter, go there and adopt a shelter
ferret!  But first, make sure you can afford to take proper care of it.
This is not a sweater or a new CD, this is a living, breathing creature
who will need top quality care for the next 8-12 years.
 
Personally, I would discourage any FML'er who was even remotely
considering "donating" to this "cause."  Your $2 is better sent to
SOS, your local shelter, or spent on your own ferrets.
 
Take care,
Chana
[Posted in FML issue 4476]