>From:    Millie Sanders  <[log in to unmask]>
>
>And San Antonio along with Houston both have wonderful organizations
>that help with the education and the enjoyment of ferrets (how to
>have fun with your ferrets) but do not take in ferrets."
>
>Millie at the www.txferretrescue.org
>The Texas  Ferret Lovers Rescue

Millie's post is very well stated with one  exception:
The Ferret SAFE House and our Foster Moms and Dads DO accept ALL
ferrets whenever a rescue is needed. SAFE has never refused to accept
any ferret(s) from anyone. Every local Municipal, Organizational and
Private Rescue/Shelter knows who we are and they routinely call us
to pick up all rescued ferrets. All calls to these organizations,,
regarding ferrets, are referred to SAFE. In our twenty years of
Rescuing and Sheltering ferrets, Our Main Shelter was closed
temporarily during the 1997 ADV outbreak (brought to us by four rescues
from Alabama), but rescues were taken into our foster homes until we
found out what we were dealing with and how to live in, "Reverse
Isolation".

The reputation of the Ferret SAFE House, our foster parents, our
education programs, our social gatherings, the medical care provided by
our veterinarians and their staff are unparalleled in scope and range.
When ECE hit Texas, we had 90+ ferrets affected and only lost four. Not
40% as occurred in other shelters Nationally. When ADV hit us (61 of 65
tested +) we lost four initially and nine during the next two years to
associated illnesses. Why is this important to us? Because while others
were counting their losses, we were working with the best Research
Institutes, Veterinary Pathologist, Veterinarians and Veterinary
Schools in America looking for the answers that could save our ferrets.
While other shelters and breeders were killing their 'sick' ferrets,
(and sending us hate mail for our efforts) we were saving our ferrets
lives.

If I seem just a little irritated, it's because I am. Before anyone
posts about what rescuers in San Antonio are doing, or are not doing,
I suggest they check with SAFE first.

The Ferret SAFE House, the SAFE Foster Program, The SAFE Educational
Teams, The SAFE Meetings (Social Gatherings) The SAFE-Board of
Directors, and The Fantastic Four (our Vets) at the Universal City
Animal Hospital are all parts that make SAFE the very best at what we
do. Yep! We're from San Antonio (Podunk), Texas and Yup, We're proud
of what we do!

Yes, we are also a 'NO KILL Shelter'. Every ferret deserves every
chance to live every day that is humanely possible. Having said that;
Euthanasia is sometimes the lesser of two evils and choosing one over
the other is a difficult and painful choice that is made only in the
best interest of the individual ferret. Even in death, there is Hope.
Every death is a shared pain that can only be resolved in understanding
the 'causes and effects' that ended that life. The Hope means multiple
samples sent to different labs looking for more definitive diagnostics
that give us hope of better life saving treatments in future cases. "Is
today to be lost to the past, or will it serve as a messenger of hope
for tomorrow?"

For the Ferrets,
Thanks, Dooks and Blessings,
Rick  White - Co Founder SAFE
*****************************
San  Antonio Ferret Enthusiasts
PO Box 190042
San Antonio,  Texas 78220-0042
Tel: 210-661-9195 or 210-661-0608
Web:  http//www.saferrets.org

[Posted in FML 6626]