The first issue is this: I have had people assure me that the vet
involved in assessing the ferrets from the Virginia seizure doesn't
know ferrets, but when asked more closely NONE of them was able to
even tell me who the vet is or which hospital was involved.
Honestly, that missing piece of information seems to really matter.
If the person really doesn't know ferrets then that could be easy
enough to demonstrate in several ways, and could make a huge difference
ultimately.
Not knowing who it is, though, really means that the "IF" strongly has
to be there. There is all the world of difference in the one letter
switch from "is" to "if". Whether or not the vet is adept seems to have
attained the level of rumor since no one can support the assertions in
either direction.
So, with no one being able to even tell me who it was I prefer to
reserve judgement.
The person who was most insistent about this asked for a public reply,
so that is it.
The other was a letter I got which indicated some reservations the
author would have about asking for help on the FML due to the way some
people jump on others. She was fine with this being addressed publicly
in case it might help someone.
I believe that I recall AT LEAST 4 times in recent months (maybe a
year?) when different shelters or seizures needed the ferret community
to come through and that labor and the needed supplies showed up.
Enough of the people who could do so provided what was needed.
Were there some few who got argumentative about one or another of
those? Sure. But, honestly, in any community the size of a small town
-- which IS the size of the FML with its thousands of members -- there
will always be someone who objects to pretty well anything done or said
by pretty much anyone. That's just life. Someone out there won't like
this post, either. That is inevitable for any view on any topic by
anybody.
So, I imparted to that person a trick I use which recently had another
FML friend laughing after joining those who use it.
I owe the technique to my marvelous husband.
One of the half dozen plus times that someone has begun a rumor about
me (ALL false, BTW, which is quite a record) I was a bit upset -- not
upset like I used to get but a bit annoyed and disappointed -- so Steve
asked me the really important questions:
1. "How long do the people who matter to you believe rumors like that
about you?" Answer; They don't believe them and almost everyone else
soon figures out the truth.
2. "When you look at what matters in your life, your real life, how
important is that person who is spreading the rumor?" Answer: The
person is not a part of my life. So, he asked, "The person is
peripheral to your life?" It's pretty well impossible for anyone to
have put it better.
Ever since then whenever one of the people who is actually peripheral
in my life does something like spread a rumor or be nasty for no
reason I privately (and once not totally privately) sing out the word,
"Peripheral!" and it not only disarms the situation but it makes me
laugh! It also means that I can ignore the claptrap.
So, if you have a rescue or a large operation of some sort to save
ferrets and you need to ask for help here on the FML or elsewhere
REMEMBER:
1. Most people are GOOD and you are likely to find some help, so don't
be afraid to ask.
2. The ones who come down on you for doing what is right are peripheral
to your life, so sing along with me, "Peripheral!" and disarm them by
doing so.
Basically, the thing to remember is how many good people there are here
and that most of us are well aware that not one of us is perfect! (Hey,
if we were we'd be ferrets, right?)
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
[Posted in FML 5874]
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