Regardless of how or why it happened or the truth of the circumstances,
what happened was horrible. Rather the ferrets and others were cared
for or not, they wound up in need of help, and I'm sure their caretaker
could use some also.

Two things: Did anyone actually SEE those ferrets shortly (a few
days) before they were taken? That would give a truer picture of
the circumstances I think. And second, emergency preparation is an
absolutely necessity. We have all heard the stories, and I wonder if
this wasn't another example? A couple of people posted yesterday that
the owner had health issues and had not been well. If there was no
one to take over or at least pick up the slack.........

New Year's eve found me suddenly and unexpectedly in the hospital. If
it weren't for my sister going into take care of my 'kids' four times a
day, ferrets would have probably died for lack of medications. (There
are others too who are willing to help, but the ferrets would have
had to be moved to the volunteers' homes, meaning the ferrets having
to give up familiar things, something which can be hard on old or
sensitive folks). Running a shelter, for the most part alone, is
difficult at best and dangerous at worse when you have on going health
issues and don't have a back up plan. Heck, even without health issues
it can be challenging!

As for those frozen who'd passed on; I know many shelters, dog, cat and
ferret, deal with crematories many miles from them and they make the
trip monthly, bi-monthly, etc. (I personally can't, but I understand
why others might).

So if there is a moral here, it would be prepare, prepare, prepare.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Brenda, Momma to the FurpeopleWeyr
http://pages.prodigy.net/furpeopleweyr/index.html

[Posted in FML 5869]