We have all seen the help shelters need over the years.  The large
rescues and individual heart breaking cases have continued.  We've
witnesses personal crisis overtaking shelter operators also.  Now
we see many shelters closing.  What I'm wondering is if pehaps home
shelters are not possibly feasible for long term.
 
Do not get me wrong, I have the absolute upmost respect for shelter
operators.  I am in awe of all they do, on a day to day basis, amid all
the human neglect and ferret need they see time and time again.  But can
we really expect any shelter Mom or Dad to be able to continue to do it
year after year.  Ferrets seem to be increasing in popularity, which will
increase the numbers given up also.  At what point does it become
overwhelming for every shelter?
 
What I'm thinking is that it is too much for any home to support the
emotional, physical, and monetary needs of running a shelter.  Perhaps
ferrets shelter needs should be met by the larger institutions.  I agree
that ferrets have more specific needs than cats and dogs.  But I there
are some shelters that care for them now, and do so well.  Perhaps
efforts (especially by ferret groups) can go to educating and training
nationwide shelters to handle and care for ferrets.  As such a largely
popular domestic pet this would make sense for the funded shelters to
take them in.  While there are some smaller dog and cat shelters for
which this may not work, the Humane Socities (HS) and the Society
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) throughout the country should be
able to handle this training and educating throughout all their
locations.
 
There are still extreme cases where such a shelter couldn't care for an
individually needy ferret.  But perhaps the specials souls who run ferret
shelters and currently try to take in all ferrets and rehome them could
concentrate on just the especially needy ones.  They could work in
conjuction with the larger pet shelters as a foster system.  Taking in
just sick or abused ferrets that need special, individualized care.
 
Any thoughts or experiences anyone would like to respond with?  Is this
something that can happen.  Has it been tried?  Is it in the works?  Can
there be a united ferret effort to make this happen?
 
Risa
[Posted in FML issue 5138]