We make decisions daily....some difficult and some not-so-difficult.
I chose to adopt my first ferret rather than buy one....
I chose to adopt an older ferret with medical needs rather than wait
for a healthy young one...
I chose to spend hundreds of dollars trying to give her every breath I
could give her, and I chose to let her go only after 6 months of being
her mom.....
I chose to open my in-home shelter the next day in her honor and in her
memory.....to help other ferrets like my Precious who were "throw-away
ferrets" - again another choice made by her original mom......
In that first year of being a rescue mom, I spent thousands of dollars
in equipment, cages, bedding, etc. in just setting up my in-home
shelter - not to mention the thousands of dollars spent every year
since in keeping up my shelter as well as acquiring new and better
cages, new bedding, - not to mention the vet bills!....yet more
choices......
I choose to spend most of my nights, vacation days (yeah, right!),
weekends, disposable income (I remember those days!), savings for
retirement, and my heart and soul for the mission I truly believe
to be my destiny....
I choose to live in Mississippi where my rescue and shelter is
desperately needed - when I would much rather relocate and move to
Dallas - the city that I love and long for .... another choice.......
I choose to go to bed as early as I can to get up early every day so
I have enough time to take care of my furr kids before I go off to my
job - every single day......
All of these choices I make daily and with no regrets. I know that
even though my disease, Lupus, will eventually prevent me from doing
what I have chosen to do, but at least for today, tomorrow, and next
week and month, I can help as many ferrets as I can while God allows me
to have my health....even though I know that the "burden" of the rescue
is taxing my health and perhaps expediting the decline.....all choices
I make and I make these alone....
We all have our choices and, unfortunately, some decisions we make
adversely affect others - not the least of these innocent bystanders
are the animals or pets that we CHOSE to accept into our lives and
PROMISED to love and care for.
Good Lord! I barely read the "desperate plea" for someone to take
my ferrets whom she dearly loved because she was involved in a
relationship where the ferrets could not remain in the home and had to
be relocated to the garage. And, further, eventhough she loved these
ferrets sooo much, she was looking forward to moving into a home where
her ferrets were not allowed.......I have heard this story oh too many
times before....like I said, we all make choices.....
She chose to buy, adopt, whatever those ferrets she claimed to love so
much.....
She chose that relationship - did he announce to her in the beginning
of the relationship that the ferrets would not be welcome or did that
come later?
She chose to move to an apartment where ferrets would not be allowed...
Gee, is that the only apartment available for rent in her area?
As far as I am concerned, my pets are my family, will always be my
family, and they come with me no matter the situation and no matter the
relationship. That is absolutely clear with anyone who knows me and if
I need to relocate, the pets also come with me...... "getting rid of"
my animals is way below my bottom line.....again the choices I make. I
made?a promise to my animals and I will do whatever it takes to keep
those promises....I chose them, they did not choose me....
And, as a shelter mom, I have heard this story sooo many times - I
could not begin to tell you how many......I now just listen, nod,
take in the ferrets, demand the cage and equipment (for the shelter's
benefit - you know!), and as soon as I have the ferrets safely in my
possession.....oh, yes, I give a nice little lecture now. I didn't for
a long time. For some stupid reason, I believed them....but only until
the story got old and worn out....now I don't believe anyone anymore...
so now you get my lecture-I have that right! .....I am taking in your
beloved pets that you chose to buy or whatever and now you chose to
"get rid of" when the mood strikes you......or when it becomes too much
of a burden to think of them when you make these tough decisions of
moving or starting a new live-in relationship......and I want your
cage so you will be less inclined to get another ferret and break that
promise too...
I pray those ferrets find a better home and mom ..... who will include
their well-being into their choices.... they deserve better....
[Posted in FML 6243]
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