I reread the all the posts. Just an observation - some of the posts
seem to focus on what YOU feel, and not on what is BEST for the animal.
Remember, animals don't live in our cockeyed emotional world. Animals
don't commit suicide. Above all, an uncertain life is a FAR better than
certain death! This is "nature's" way. Humans seem to muck up when
playing god!

I'd like to summarize some and add the following to many super
LIFE-SAVING suggestions already made on how to cope with various
emergencies.

1) We all need an emergency contingency plan. Whether a man-made or
natural disaster looms, you need to have tools in place to flee.
Where you go ultimately depends on circumstances. Plan for the USUAL
emergencies in your area and you will be ready for anything. That
includes floods, tornadoes, fires, loss of heat/electric, world wars,
bombs, etc.

2) Considering leaving your pets? 98+% of the time you will not have
to. Just prepare for the 2% of the time. Ditto to earlier ideas of
small travel cages, pet taxi's, and pillowcases. Phone numbers,
addresses or friends, neighbors, shelters, hotels, SHELTERS, etc.
Having spare meds, and/or RX's for meds, etc.

3) If you own pets, you need to be prepared for serious illness or
injury and how you will a) transport them to a vet and b) take into
consideration how far that vet is. And bottom line, ANY vet is better
than NO vet.

Most of us live within reasonable distances of an emergency vet. If
you don't, you MUST prepare ahead of time WITH THE SUPPORT OF YOUR
VET! A pet appropriate pain killer or tranquilizer will buy you time.

As for those sick "do it yourself scheme's" please hang your head it
shame. And don't think of "doing it" in CT - it is illegal. Only a
licensed vet or someone under a vet's supervision can euthanise an
animal. Thankfully! Remember, if something goes amiss (and even vet's
make mistakes), they are equipped to deal with it. You are not.

Let me add with all humility: I've brought animals to the vet sure they
were dying only to have the vet examine the ferret (cat/dog); be sent
home with meds (or left for care); and watch them make a full recovery!
And I've had animals all my 61 years and sheltered for nearly 20.

4) If you can't afford to euthanise your pet, you don't deserve to own
them. Do everyone a favor and preemptively "eliminate" them from your
life before the need arises. Just don't get _any_ more in the future.

5) If you have to give up your pet/s. YES, there are always good
reasons not to give up your pet to a shelter. But is death a better
solution??? Yes, shelters are overfull. Sadly it is cheaper in this
country to GET a pet than to KEEP/CARE for a pet. Until that changes,
shelters will be overfull.

What you CAN do is a) not wait until the last minute!!! There is
nothing worse to a shelter than hearing, I need to get rid of them
"today" or "tomorrow!" If we have time we can cope. That may mean
telling someone who is ditching their pet because they have "no time"
for them to suck it up. It is THEIR responsibility to find their pet a
new home, not the shelters! Shelters need to prioritize - and the first
priority are those animals with no other option. As a shelter we have
to make judgments too. We are not always right. It comes with the turf.
Each shelter has to know their own limits! YOU need contingency plans
too!

6) So you have to "burden" a shelter....well, you don't HAVE to. Get
yourself there to HELP them! You may not have money but you most likely
have two hands and are able to work.

Too far from the shelter? No transport? Well I will guess there is some
other type of shelter nearby that you CAN help. Volunteer somewhere. If
you loose your job I assure you, a future potential employer will think
far more of you if you can say that besides spending time looking for
work, you also took the time to help others by volunteering and
learning through doing. Get the point?

YES, shelters need money, some need stuff - but MOST ALL need HELP!!
Can't clean a cage, mow their lawn. Do the laundry. File paperwork.
Repair something. Help raise money for them. Everyone has some skills.
Use them.

7) In that unlikely event of an apocalyptic event, just let them loose.
You do NOT own an animal's life - it is only on loan.

Ann Gruden
Ferret Association of Connecticut.

[Posted in FML 6336]