Hi, October.
Your post was truly heartbreaking, and though as far as I know I've never
had one of the babies I adopted out go through so anything so horrible,
it is my greatest fear.
 
I've only been running a shelter for a little over a year now, and while
at first it really helped with my depression - as the number of kids
coming into the shelter continued to increase so did my depression.  It's
hard .... to look these people in the face and accept their bullsh!t
reasons for dumping their ferrets - when the fact is most of them just
don't care or comprehend that this is a living being with feelings ....
It's harder yet to look into the eyes of these beautiful souls, and let
them go with someone new - someone that you hope with all your heart has
listened to your every word and understands what they are getting into.
I constantly wrestle with myself ..... trying to remind myself that there
are good people out there - that do deserve a chance to be loved by these
wonderful little beings.  I try to remind myself that all I can do is
quiz them, follow up and be there for them ................. and say an
extra prayer.  Our screening process is not an easy one (I'm sure none of
ours are), we supply support for our adopters through a yahoo group and
all my adopters know that if the group does not interest them, that I am
only an email or a phone call away ..... for anything.  I know that if I
don't find them homes, that I will have no room to help the next little
one that is lost, alone, abused, neglected or just plain unwanted.
 
Just try to remember that what you are doing (even with closing you are
still helping those poor little CA babies) is a wonderful thing.  You are
helping those little ones that cannot speak for themselves.  It's what I
tell myself - what would happen to them if I wasn't there ............
 
It's hard to be a shelter mom - trust me, I KNOW .......... and there
are stories that break your heart and are etched on your soul ....
never to leave you again ........ but, there are also so many happy
endings - so many little ones that have made their way to their forever
homes .......... because of people like us.
 
I am sorry about what has happened to Cleo, Neptune and Mercury ......
and I am glad that Cleo and Mercury have found their way back to you -
and I know that Neptune's fate will forever be a question in your mind -
and for that I have no magical cure to heal the pain .......... I can't
even try ............... I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.
 
But for now I thank you for all you've done and continue to do..........
 
I also want to thank all the other shelter mom's and dad's out there ....
sometimes it is a thankless and tiresome job, but please know we all
appreciate all you do.
 
Tracy Acker
Pennsylvania Ferret Club and Shelter
Director: Forget-Me-Not Ferret Rescue
www.ferretclub.com
[Posted in FML issue 5133]