Ok, I don't usually get involved in the disputes on here, but this is one
of the times I feel I must.  I have read alot of things, past and present
about shelters and seeing them get slammed really pees me off.  I run a
shelter, let me tell you my story.
 
I run a shelter in Michigan.  I began sheltering about 2 1/2 years ago
and let me tell you, many ferrets have passed through our door, many
sick, many old and too many neglected.  My first year, I spent $15,000 on
vet care alone, mostly out my own pocket.  Do you know what that money
was for?  That money was for my family.  It was for my home, to remodel
it and make it a safe and happy home for my family.  We started to
remodel our house a few years prior to sheltering.  We are an average
family, with a below average income, however, we saved up every penny to
fix our house.  The ferrets needed it.  We chose to help them.  As long
as I am sheltering, my house will never be pretty, but thats okay because
the ferrets need the money more than we need a beautiful house.
 
My husband and I are going to celebrate our 7th year wedding anniversary
next week.  We used to be inseperable.  We worked together, hunted
together, fished together and on a more personal note, had alot of
wonderful intimate moments together.  Now, we get a mere two hours a day
together if we are lucky and those hours are filled with interruptions.
My day starts at 7 am with the ferrets and stops at 2 am. (on most days).
In the past two and 1/2 years, I have been fishing with him twice,
hunting with him twice and our idea intimacy is texting love letters to
each other while he is at work.  We no longer are able to work together
or play together because I have on the average 24 cages to clean, 32
litter boxes to change, 62 ferrets to take care of, two ferret rooms to
clean, a busy house to TRY to maintain, two phones to answer almost every
five minutes, emails to answer and oh man, two human kids to raise.  We
spend on the average $60.00 a week for litter, $80.00 a week for food
(including special gravy mix) $25.00 a week in laundry products (more
than half of that is for ferrets) $20.00 a week in cleaning products (for
the ferrets alone!)  Approx. $50.00 a month for meds...the list goes on
and on.  I can't even guess the amount spent on vet care.  Sleep is a
precious commodity that I seldom enjoy, family vacations are virtually
non existent.  My house is no longer a home as we have adoption
appointments or surrender appointments therefore, we have strangers in
our house all of the time.
 
Are you getting the point yet?
 
There is alot of time and money tied up in our furry little friends.
I applaud the shelters that can do fundraising and make things to sell,
I know what my days are like time-wise and I cannot do those things.  I
have read past and present shelters getting slammed for asking for money
to help with the critters, why slam them???  Why not slam the people that
surrendered the sick and neglected ferrets?  They are the reason that we
need to ask for help.  They dont want to pay for the vet care so they
dump them on us.  Where is it written that shelters, be it for ferrets or
otherwise have unlimited funds??  Let me tell you, to date, I have taken
in over 350 ferrets in only 2 and 1/2 years!!  Not all of them have been
able to leave, in fact I would say maybe 40% of them were rehomed and
that, my friend, is being generous.  I have been fortunate to have our
local club (MFRAN) to help us and some wonderful people from Clubmed and
other ferret groups to help.
 
Dont take this wrong, I am NOT complaining about what I do.  I love these
ferrets and use every ounce of my strength to help them as do the other
shelters.  This is what we have CHOSEN to do and well, if we have to ask
for help from time to time, I see no harm in it.  If I weren't running a
shelter myself, I would HAPPILY help support the others, especially with
what I have seen in my 2 and 1/2 years.
 
Now do you get it?  Please support the shelters, don't bash them.  Pat
us on the back, support us and not just financially, but morally.  We
are giving up far more than you think.
 
Thanks for listening and I pray that you have a better understanding
of us.
 
Lori Blaisdell
Michigan Ferret Rescue
www.miferretrescue.org
[Posted in FML issue 5215]