Dawn & other shelter operators,
 
We too are running into the same issues you experienced with running a
ferret shelter out of your home.  We are a small fledgling group that
started our ferret rescue/ shelter/ hospice in November '04.  We are in
Roanoke, Virginia.  Our local city zoning was just updated in December
'05 and the way it now reads I can not house the shelter on my property
(I have an acre of land with a small but ample Cape Cod and a one car
detached garage on the end of a dead end street).
 
Here's the quote from the head "dink" in charge of zoning:
"Petitioning to rezone property requires the filing of a petition along
with a filing fee (minimum fee $500.00), a public hearing before the
Planning Commission (which make a recommendation), and a public hearing
before City Council (which makes the final decision).  After a rezoning
petition is filed, planning staff prepares a report and recommendation
to the Planning Commission."
 
Not a cheap venture at all!  And even if we could find the money to pay
for the filling fee and someone to write up the plan to present to the
committees it's still not a guaranteed done deal.  We have kids waiting
for adrenal/insulnomia surgery so diverting any cash away from that would
be sheer neglect in my eyes, so we are currently trying to find a
work-around solution.
 
I have been in contact with two area realtors trying to find a spot that
has the proper zoning already, and a building that would suit our needs
that could be used as a tax right off for the property owner or be rented
at a greatly reduced rate, but we are not 501 yet so the "offer" isn't as
tempting to the land owners as it could be with the "official" status.
The paper chase has started, in the stages of the articles of
incorporation in preparation of the application, & we do have our Federal
EIN already.  We are hoping to have a pro-bono lawyer look over what we
have so far before we turn it in to the government so the process will
hopefully go smoothly.
 
I don't know how other shelter directors, organizers, and shelter moms &
dads do all the paper work, run the shelters, care for the hospice &
medically challenged cases and hold down full time jobs.  We have a good
solid core of ferret lovers and are housing the kids in foster care but
would love to have a central location.  This would give our cause
validity and a location to continue our ferret/human education plans.
 
I truly wish the IFC (International Ferret Council), the AFA (American
Ferret Association), SOS (Support Our Shelters) and the LOS could somehow
join forces with the HSUS and other Animal Welfare groups to legitimize
what all the ferret shelters, regardless of size & 501 status, are trying
to accomplish.  We don't want to re-invent the wheel, we just want it to
turn with us instead of against!
 
ANY advise or words of wisdom you could impart on us would be greatly
appreciated.
 
Debbie Saunders
Shelter Mom & Director, Big Lick Ferret Shelter & Hospice
Roanoke, VA
http://www.biglickferretshelter.org
[Posted in FML issue 5140]