Hello everyone!
 
By now, many of you have read about the 'not so pleasant' experiences
I've encountered lately from several Washington State ferret shelters
when attempting to find a new companion for my Snowball.  I've attached
below a summary of the UN-solicited email from one of the WA ferret
shelter operators but can't reprint on the FML the email word for word,
due to copyright laws and privacy reasons . . . .  So it's edited and
summarized but I've tried to leave as much as the author's "intent" as
possible so you get an idea of what I'm up against.
 
And JUST EARLIER TODAY I received an email involving a young lady in my
area who has experienced similiar discriminatory situations from several
of the same ferret shelters as I.  She's been terribly discriminated
against, primarily due to her age, but since I've never met her myself,
I can't vouche for her credibility or knowledge of ferrets.  I will say,
however, that I have exchanged emails with this young lady and she did
appear to be reasonably knowledgeable but, to play devil's advocate, I do
understand the need for shelters to have and uphold a solid criteria for
determining the overall ability of a potential ferret parent to provide
proper care and love to a ferret.  It's just terrible, however, that
there are possibly many, MANY good potential ferret owners out there who
have been wrongly discriminated against by whomever and not allowed to
give their love to some well-deserving furkids.  Where do you draw the
line, as shelter operators, with respect to your "CRITERIA" for judging
a person as a suitable or unfit ferret parent?????
 
I find it rather interesting that this shelter operator managed to save
all of my email communication and will readily send it out to anyone,
upon their request, but she could never manage to email me or snail mail
me any financial support for Phoebe while Phoebe was still considered a
foster in my home (per the shelter's foster agreement that I helped
revise); nor did she ever send me an adoption contract to sign OR send on
the gifts to Phoebe that she told me were sent to her from someone who
adopted Phoebe on the 2004 Christmas Giving Tree.  (keep in mind I only
live 30 min.  away from this shelter).  What I don't understand is why
Phoebe was even LISTED on the tree when, by December of '04, the shelter
operator had these emails dated from OCTOBER which clearly stated my
desire & intention to officially adopt Phoebe at that time.
 
So basically, the gifts that were sent to Phoebe from the Dec.  '04
Giving Tree were never given to Phoebe because they were never forwarded
on to me but hopefully they did end up in another well-deserving furkids'
stocking.  NO WONDER people are weary of sending donations and gifts to
unknown shelters!
 
Jennifer and Snowy, happily doing "just fine" these days :-)
 
 
Email from shelter operator:
First the author asked me if it ever occured to me that maybe the
shelters just didn't want to adopt to ME?  (as if I have some horrible
reputation floating around?  If I do, it's ONLY because of what this
person is saying about me!) And since none of the shelters even know
WHO I am and none but this person has ever met me in person then NO, it
didn't occur to me.
 
She goes on to remind me that ferret shelters have the right to refuse
to adopt to anyone and that even though I *think* I'm being treated
unfairly, she is "very alarmed" that I am not "GETTING IT" after what
happened last year. . . . .  (this is in reference to the ferret I
adopted last year from this person's shelter and, after 10 months of
demanding, round-th-clock care, I had to return Phoebe to her b/c I was
absolutely drained emotionally, physically, and financially and it was
a VERY agonizing decision that I made with LOTS of tears!!!
 
In the same breath, this person says, "I think you are a fine ferret
owner and very responsible" but goes on to explain that the reason she
will never adopt to me again is because I already have a senior ferret
(Snowball) and she thinks that if/when the NEXT senior ferret I adopt
becomes a similar situation as Phoebe's that I will just bring the ferret
back to her again.  (NOT true or I would have done that with both Sasha
AND Snowball already!  WHATEVER!!)
 
She then feels the need to remind me that senior ferrets don't do well
when they have to change homes and they can get depressed and die.
REALL????  So because she's too concerned that I will do to her what I
did with Phoebe, she won't take another chance that it's going to happen
again and is *very sorry*.
 
Finally she says that she can't blame the other shelters for being afraid
either because they all love their ferrets way too much to take that
chance.  Once is enough.  (WOW - even convicted criminals are protected
by the THREE STRIKES LAW!)
 
In this person's closing remark she asks me if I would allow her to
explain all of this in detail on the FML or if she could just forward on
our email exchanges privately when people ask her.  Hmmmm . . . . . (NOT
difficult to answer b/c forwarding my emails to ANYONE is against the law
and a violation of copyright protection and of my right to privacy!)
 
I hope NONE of you out there has ever had to or will ever have to deal
with a shelter in this manner - seriously!!  NO WONDER PEOPLE GO TO PET
STORES for their ferrets!!  Apparently even the risk of contracting
diseases and dealing with the health problems down the road doesn't
compare to the trauma of being discriminated against and berated by rude,
mean ferret shelter operators (such as the ones I've encountered here!)
 
Jennifer and Snowbally (who's doing much better by the way!)
[Posted in FML issue 5209]