Karen asked some very good questions and raised some good points, no
offense was taken at them, and I felt that the answers to them should
come straight from me.
 
Karen asked:
>I mean no offense, and I'm not looking to start a war, but, $83,000
>was recently donated to Ferrets Unlimited, with an additional $150,000
>pledged, to purchase property on which the shelter building is to be
>located.  How can you possibly say Jean is "getting practically *no*
>support"?
 
The answer: It is right in your question and it is right that you
question.  $83k for property.  Specific donation for that, could be used
for nothing else.  Pledge for $150,000 again, for the build of the new
building.
 
The donation has it's limitations.  The shelter does own a piece of
property in Parma that was going to be torn down for a new place.  Trust
me, that place NEEDS torn down.
 
Unfortunately, because of Parma's city codes and regulations, the cost
of the building has gone well above the pledged donation of $150, by
$25,000.  And cutting the cost has been tried, volunteers and I to do
the painting, purchase of used and "left over" counters, cupboards and
such, but that isn't enough of a cut to make it happen.
 
I was attempting to raise $15,000 for equipment and the such for the
interior of the building, in that endeavor, I was able to raise $752.00.
Like I said, the pledge is for a specific purpose and none other.
 
Again, funds are promised for the building, not the care or day to day
needs of the shelter.
 
The whole idea of the shelter in it's own building, having public access,
being able to do low cost distemper and rabies shots.  There is a mired
of ideas and reasons why this would have been wonderful.
 
But I was wearing rose colored glasses thinking that the local area would
see the need and be there.
 
The last donation that came in for just normal needs was in April.
 
Karen wrote:
>Shelters/shelter operators need to know their limits, and people should
>not be guilted into lending a hand when they don't.  Honestly, pulling
>out the cancer card here is in very poor taste (to say the least).
 
I don't think that Lin was intending the cancer card as any thing other
than an example of what is possible, and her opinion on the dwindling
volunteers, nothing more.
 
Ever since 2003, I have only posted to ask for ideas, and urge people to
volunteer and get involved in their local shelter.
 
And I have tried to give back to the community as well.  To show my
gratitude for the help and support.
 
Shelter operators do need to know their limits, I agree.  But there are
instances that sometimes have to be considered.  The last 12 ferrets here
are not from individuals, but from Animal Control and Humane Societies
that are from animal abuse cases.  In the last two months there have been
6 ferrets left on the front porch.  I do not post each and everything
that happens here, I use the Director's corner of the web site for my
"begging" and such.  I do post on a couple of places and "whine" everyone
needs to vent.  When I do ask for help it is mainly for ideas and
volunteers.  What I do behind the scenes to help stays there, for the
most part at least.
 
Volunteers enable shelter moms and dad's to work with the police
departments, animal control, humane societies, and convince them ferrets
are a very wonderful pet, one worthy of adoption and the chance at rehab,
just like any dog or cat.  Euthanizing a ferret is not the only solution.
There are several that I have worked with that used to euthanize that do
not, they even will work with the ferret if it is a couple of days before
I can get to them to pick up.
 
There still are an abundant number of people out there that have very
negative feelings about ferrets, and all of that is from things they
have "heard".
 
Shelters need the support of the local community.  And I am not just
speaking of here.  I am talking everywhere there is a shelter.
 
Volunteers make or break a shelter, volunteers make educational programs
possible, volunteers make getting paperwork done possible, volunteers are
the back bone of each and every shelter.  Without them, it is impossible.
 
Again Karen, I do think Lin was specifically talking about the local
community and not the entire ferret community.
 
With all the ferret owners, and folks who adopted (and yes they get the
news letter in which I always ask for volunteers) and get told yep I want
to help.  But they never do.  It does get rather frustrating when people
say they will be there and I rearrange doctors appointments so they can
help and they don't show, not even as much as a phone call.  Which is
rather frustrating.
 
Karen wrote:
>"Sheltering is a choice"
 
Yes it is.  For 12 years it has been a choice.  A few times I wanted
to close, even said publicly it would happen.  It didn't, for whatever
reasons at the time, life changed to where the shelter could continue.
 
Karen wrote:
>Shelters need support, and those who choose to support them should be
>commended just as much as the shelter operators themselves are.
 
Actually, I will disagree with part of this statement.  People who
support and volunteer to help shelters should be commended well beyond
anything that is said about a shelter mom or dad.
 
Volunteers and donors are the backbone support of a shelter.  Of ALL
shelters, human, dog, cat, ferret, bar none.
 
I have said this before,and will continually say it.  I am indebted to
every person who has ever donated to this shelter or volunteered here,
and I will never be able to express my gratitude effectively.
 
Again, I close with the one thing I always harp on.  Shelters need you.
Shelters need volunteers.  Shelters need people to sit on fund raising
committees, help with cages, do vet runs, clip nails, give soup.  ALL
shelters need help, both financially and physically.  Three or four
hours once or twice a month can make a difference.  Volunteer at your
local shelter.
 
Jean
Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter
www.ferretsunlimited.org
Non profit No Kill
[Posted in FML issue 5335]