Hi everyone. Lots of people naturally stressed and distressed about a
huge number of ferrets apparently being kept in horrendous conditions
in Ohio..

It is easy to look back and wish different decisions had been made in
Iraq. What did the government think was going to happen after we "won?"
If it somehow comes to pass that approximately 1000 ferrets are to be
rescued and placed throughout the country...it is wise to see through
to the ends of the rescue. What happens if we win the war?

IF there are 1000 ferrets rescued, carriers will be necessary along
with containers for food and water, and the food. If you place 3
ferrets per carrier and the carrier and food and water containers and
food cost $30.00 per every 3 ferrets until they are transported to
their destination, it will cost $10,500.

To give exams, distemper shots, and blood tests per ferret, a bargain
price would be $70 a ferret, or $70,000.00

If 20% of the ferrets that live in such stressful conditions needed a
med for insulinoma, or cardiomyopathy or adrenal in the first year, it
would cost about $50 a month for just one of those meds where I live.
20% of 1000 ferrets is 200 ferrets. The first 12 months of treatment
for the shelters taking in the ferrets that most people would not want
to adopt could cost $120,000.00

If 10% of 1000 ferrets needed surgery in the first year at $500.00 a
surgery (a low ball figure in this area, as surgery would start at
$600)and we low ball big time again and say that surgery will include
X-rays and complete blood tests, the cost would be $50,000 for the
shelters taking in the ferrets.

The total cost for only the first year of the rescue and placement...
not including transport, litter, and bedding could be about
**$250,000.** It could be much, much more.

If 1000 people donated to rescue the ferrets, they would each have to
donate $250. specifically to the large ferret rescue to reach the
$250,000 mark. That is a heck of a lot of money.

It would not be fair to expect the shelters to suddenly come up with
the funds for multiple surgeries and med's and exams and blood tests
and shots for all the ferrets that might be rescued. As it is, I am
only giving the first year possible bills. I hope that as members of
the FML, we think about all this and formulate a potential plan for
large ferret rescues.

PLEASE think through any possible large rescue. We do not need another
financial tragedy as we have now in our country in the FML community. .
Maybe we could ask SOS to suggest a $50 donation to everyone who can
afford it to put aside for this or another large rescue for this year.
It IS a write off. And it is a start. We could see how that went at
the end of this year.

To expect a thousand people to donate $250 for the Ohio ferret rescue
possibility in one year is not probable. To expect 2000 people to
donate $175 in one year towards a huge ferret rescue is still not
probable.
 
I like the idea of donating money to SOS in an interest baring account
at SOS over the years to go only towards a large rescue. I am in no
position to implement this idea. But we are not going to rescue 1000
ferrets without a hefty reserve of money to achieve this goal unless
you utterly overtly stress shelters already stretched to their limits.

Meanwhile, if anything can be done...maybe it could be that the people
with all these ferrets could be made to stop breeding altogether and
be allowed x number of years to deplete their "stock."
 
Maybe at the symposium this year, a sum of money to go towards very
large ferret rescue.

This could be looked at as being premature. It may never come to pass
that the 1000 ferrets will be saved. But it will only be time before
another big rescue comes up. It would take 5 years of 1000 people
donating $50 a year towards large rescues to reach $259,000. Instead of
causing people brutal financial anguish as the Utah rescue did, NOW is
the time to see to the ends of a large rescue.

SOS would have to decide if the rescue would have to be in the US, and
what would constitute a large rescue. They may be so overworked already
that this is not feasible. Or is there another group already in place
for future large ferret rescues?

We , in my humble opinion, should be working on reserves for large
rescues even if the Ohio rescue becomes impossible.
 
Thank you,
Lisette

[Posted in FML 5526]