Anyone who has been around the FML long enough has seen both sides of
the coin to hoarders vs. shelters. But for those who have only been
around a few years....

There was a lady who wrote that she ran a shelter and that her ferrets
were taken away from her and were going to be euthenized. She needed
money for a lawyer. Some people were gathering via email to see how
much money could be raised to get a lawyer for her. That is how I
first learned of it.

But as it turned out, this woman was a hoarder. Over one hundred
ferrets had to be rescued. A lady on the FML named Troy Lynn gave up
a MASSIVE sum of money and organized a recovery of the ferrets. They
were to be euthenized within days, and needed speedy recovery and
distribution.

Here was a case where our hearts immediately opened up to this poor
shelter mom and all these little ones about to be killed. We took this
woman at her word. But hoarders genuinely believe that they are helping
the animals they are collecting. It was only when a major animal
group...PETA... went to Utah and discovered the truth that the ferret
community discovered that this woman did NOT run a shelter. She WAS a
hoarder.

In another mistaken conception, a shelter mom was called a hoarder.. A
few respected people spread the falsehood. It spread through gossip
like wild fire. One shelter mom came out to the shelter and saw what an
incredible shelter it was. But this person, who had called this place
the home of a hoarder without even seeing it, did not then tell people
the truth. This person did not recant what he/she had previously said.
The result was devastating to the shelter and shelter mom. Can you
imagine how this hard working, ALL for the ferrets, selfless person
must have felt to have been betrayed like that? It was an atrocity.

I am happy to say that this person somehow managed the emotional
strength to keep up her endless excellent work, and is busy for hours
most days helping to save the lives of ferrets all over the country
while still sheltering the old and ill. God knows how, but she managed
to brave through the SEVERE insults that must have torn her heart to
ribbons. I am also proud to say that SOME of the people here on the FML
who had falsely belittled and insulted and degraded her have apologized
to her. I thank you with all my heart for that.

PLEASE all of you....use EXTREME caution before you label and gossip.
Cry out if there IS a hoarder and you know this.. Report abuse to
authorities. But KNOW what you are talking about. Do NOT spread gossip.

The next shelter mom or dad crippled financially and emotionally Could
be you.

[Posted in FML 6469]