First and foremost, why is it that every time a story such as this hits
the airwaves the shelter person is labelled as a 'hoarder'? Perhaps
Ms. McCraig didn't handle the situation very well, perhaps she was
too embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help, perhaps too fearful that
she would be labelled as a 'hoarder' or 'animal abuser'. We can all
sympathize, I am sure. This is a difficult situation and even the most
diligent and well-intentioned shelter owners are mere steps away from
a similar disaster. As sad as I am that so many ferrets were dead and
others euthanized, my heart goes out to this lady. I am certain she did
not open her home as a shelter so she could one day be the top story
on the local news branded as an animal abuser. So? How can we all help
shelter owners countrywide from having this same thing happen to them?
I see plenty of networking, fundraising and ebay sales happening every
day to benefit shelter animals and I see a lot of networking shelter
to shelter to benefit animals in need. At the same time, I also see
shelters that will only affiliate themselves with the best known
facilities/groups which leaves many small shelters on the outside
looking in, never allowed to benefit from the knowledge, experience and
assistance of those larger shelters. In a way, it seems that the larger
shelters intentions are to keep the smaller shelters on the outside so
they will be destined to fail. By that same token I will not argue the
point that some people just shouldn't undertake such a huge task UNLESS
they have funding, volunteers and connections, because without them
they are setting themselves up for a similar disaster. My heart goes
out to Ms. McCraig.

I will not label her a 'hoarder' because I don't know if she is one or
not. I am sorry that for whatever reason[s] she was unable to get the
help she needed to care for the animals she had in her home/shelter.
It's a sad story. It's sad for the animals and it's sad for Ms.
McCraig. But let's not label her.

If you are able, adopt or sponsor one of the ferrets taken from her
home. Make a donation to the shelter now housing those animals. [Bureau
of Animal Control and the SPCA-Virginia Beach]

[Posted in FML 5869]