Oh my goodness the kids are going fast!  Hurry!  Go pick your fuzzies
right away before they all get santas!!!
 
In trying to promote the giving tree I wrote a letter to our local radio
stations and newspapers.  Everyone is welcome to use this letter, replace
my contact info with your own, and send it to your local media.  Many
won't print from those out of their area.
 
I have a Christmas wish.
 
At this time of year, many people make special donations to those that
are less fortunate.  The choice is a very personal decision.
 
My choice is to support ferret shelters and to help promote awareness of
the plights of their little charges.
 
Across the US and Canada, there are thousands of ferrets in ferret
specific shelters.  Many are home based shelters with the caretakers
funding expenses by holding fundraisers and/or out of their own pockets.
 
Many ferrets that end up in the shelters are older and plagued with
medical problems.  Some are too far advanced with medical problems to
find homes, so their remaining days are spent in the ferret shelter.
There are also many that are younger that are just waiting for a loving
responsible family to open their hearts and homes to them.
 
A Ferret Giving Tree has been put up on the internet.  The tree has
pictures and/or names of ferrets in shelters across the US and Canada.
When someone clicks on a picture of a ferret, a page opens that gives the
story of the ferret, their medical issues and what that ferret would like
for Christmas.  Most ask for only a warm sleep sack, a toy and treats.
Many of the stories are heartbreaking, like Dillon on page 11 who has
cancer and was abandoned in a garage during a sweltering hot summer, and
Phoebe (page 10) and her companion who came from an abusive home and were
suffering from malnutrition and dehydration when they arrived at the
shelter.  Sadly, Phoebe's companion never recovered and died at the
shelter.
 
People can pick a ferret to send gifts to, email the shelter (email
address is provided on the ferrets history/wants page), then when they
receive a response from the shelter they can gather their gifts, package
them and send them!  As each ferret is picked, a stocking is placed on
the picture.  Stockings that are already up can be clicked on and will
take you to the ferret's page, so even when all the ferrets have
stockings, people can still send gifts if they'd like to.
 
My wish is for all the ferrets on the giving trees to have their wants
overwhelmingly fulfilled.
 
Please, would you be willing to announce the Ferret Giving Tree URL so
that others will be aware of the needs of these precious little ones?
 
http://givingtree.friendsoffuzzies.com/page12.html
This takes you to one of the most recently added page.
 
http://givingtree.friendsoffuzzies.com/
This takes you to the main page.  All of the ferrets on pages 1 and 2
have santas!
 
http://www.mkaresq.com/ADV/advgt.htm
This takes you to the ferret giving tree of ferrets that have ADV
(Aleutian Disease Virus).  These ferrets are in ADV only ferret shelters.
 
Thank you for your time.
 
Happy Holidays to all.
Ms. Troy Lynn Eckart, F.B.S.
Ferret Family Services
PO Box 186
Manhattan KS 66505-0186
1-785-456-8337 evenings and weekends
[log in to unmask]
www.ferretfamilyservices.org
[Posted in FML issue 4722]