>OK, this really infuriates me.  The shelter is NOT filthy.  When I asked
>to volunteer there about 2 months ago, they had trouble finding a day
>for me to come in that wasn't already "taken" by another volunteer.
>
>You have a right to your opinion, but not to slander.  Your statements
>are inaccurate and you've taken much of Charlene's post out of context
>and twisted it to make your own point.
 
Leanna - please reread the paragraph I wrote that "infuriated" you.
Those are MY personal experiences while I was a volunteer at the shelter.
I did not make it up and I did not slander anyone.  I will repeat the
last sentence in that paragraph - there was too much to do and not enough
people.
 
I also spent many months pushing the shelter to register with
VolunteerMatch so they could advertise for volunteers, fundraisers,
sponsors, etc.  This was finally accomplished a couple of months before
I left and for which I had written and posted the positions and then
managed the responses for a short time to help out one of the other
volunteers.  Shortly after WFRS was registered, I was able to formally
log my volunteer hours through my employer which earned the shelter a
$1,000 grant.  My employer is a large, well known corporation.  The
Director of Public Relations left multiple email/voice mail requests with
the shelter to resolve a paperwork issue in addition to trying to get
someone to cooperate with them so they could get some positive publicity
going for the shelter.  After several weeks of not getting any
calls/emails returned, it was brought to my attention since they didn't
know who else to contact.  I had no choice but to refer them back to the
shelter.  I was very embarrassed to say the least - but that is another
chapter.
 
By the time I left, WFRS was getting a tremendous response through
VolunteerMatch.  If there are more volunteers now to help out and the
shelter is running more efficiently, that's great.  I am not out to shut
it down and I don't want Cathy Johnson-Delaney to lose her license.
There are too many ferrets out there who need homes and I do believe that
every volunteer at WFRS has their heart in the right place but I also
feel they are turning a deaf ear and burying their head in the sand.  Not
all of them - just some.  What I really want is to know that ferrets are
getting good medical care and I absolutely shudder each time I think
about the fate of my fosters had I not adopted them.  You may think this
is only about Cathy and her medical ethics but since she is supported by
some of the volunteers who help run the shelter, it is about them too.
 
Based on some of the statements you have made and since I don't recognize
your name, I am going to assume you are fairly new to the shelter.  We
don't know each other nor were you ever present at the shelter when I was
there.  You have no idea what my experiences were and you can only form
an opinion based on YOUR experiences now, along with whoever is giving
you your information about me.  If you ever want proof, ask.  I have over
600 email conversations I can share.
 
To those of you who emailed me privately with your support, thank you.
It was a difficult decision to write my story knowing what I was opening
myself up to and I'm sure my name is now a four letter word at the
shelter, but I would do it all over again if even one person benefits
from my experience.  I have already given out the names of the 2 vets
who had successfully performed the adrenal surgery on my little guys so
I hope something good is accomplished from all of this.
[Posted in FML issue 4384]