The FML is an amazing place - there are posts with: experiences, links
to other ferret info sources, comedic relief, utter sadness, absolute
outrage, contentions, and even fluff and nonsense. The FML is a place
where people with ferrets (newbies and veterans alike) can gather to
"converse" much like a town hall gathering. Whenever such a myriad of
people convene, there WILL be varied responses on any one topic because
everyone responds according to their own experiences! Expecting all
posts to be sweet, loving, charitable and not upset the apple cart is
to attempt to live in utopia and totally unrealistic!
There were TWO - count them TWO ferrets that expired (according to
Sandra's admission): "So, we ended up having Wolverine PTS. Casper 2
went the next day." as a result of this family's visit! How many
ferrets need to die before their caretaker stops the abuse?
Apparently several ferrets were brutalized, not to mention the poor dog
they antagonized like Sandra said: "The othersat on my sofa, kicking
his foot at my 9 year old dog"; and what was done to all the other
ferrets in Sandra's facility that those kids had access to?
What Sandra posted to the FML MAY have been offered as a simple heads
up to other shelter folks to aggressively screen the volunteers; but it
was also a woeful admission of the shortcomings in her own caretaking
abilities! I merely stated what many people wouldn't have the courage
to do and definitely what the dead ferrets cannot say! Sandra SHOULD
re-assess her OWN evaluations and employ strict adherence to her
guidelines or else stop opening her facility to volunteers! To have two
animals lives end abruptly because of ABUSIVE handling while supposedly
being SHELTERED is INEXCUSABLE!
Its one thing if ferrets in a shelter meet an abrupt end as a result
of hurricane, fire, tornado, flood or other act of uncontrollable
circumstance - but this was NOT one of those instances - these were
NOT accidents these were deliberate mishandling of creatures unable to
defend themselves and admittedly in full view of the person supposed
to be sheltering them!
Sandra posted what she wanted us to know - I am NOT an investigative
reporter and merely posted a reply to what Sandra publicly admitted -
I am NOT required to research or interview the original poster before
posting my reply!
This was NOT a case of ONE instance of catching a child getting too
rough during play time - Sandra's post CLEARLY indicates that these
people were invited into her facility and ALLOWED to stay and that
Sandra stood idly by witnessing NUMEROUS cruel acts! The fact that this
family had been to her facility before without any happenstance either
indicates that she wasn't monitoring them before or that familiarity
bred contempt and the family felt they could run rough shod over the
place! Just because someone puts on their "good face" at the first
couple meetings is not an indication of their true nature!
Sandra waited for the parents to put a stop to this behavior when THAT
action rested squarely upon Sandra's shoulders! It was her facility
and the ferrets were hers to shelter!
I challenge ANY one here to open their home to strangers and allow them
to disrespect your home or manhandle your companions then quietly wait
until the miscreants decide to leave!
Sandra was, "just livid as the parents said NOTHING to these kids.
Nothing!!!" and NEITHER DID SHE! So just who WAS there with gumption
enough to speak up for the ferrets and the dog? Apparently NOBODY!
Sandra obviously WITNESSED: "One kid had put a ferret in his mouth &
the mother took a picture. And the same one had slung Wolverine
around." But no where in her post does she say how SHE put a stop to
such abuses! NO WHERE does she say she removed the ferrets from their
hands and escorted them OUT the door! NO WHERE does it say she took
the family and sat them ALL down and explained that you DO NOT treat
animals like that and it will NOT be tolerated!
Taking a picture of a ferret posed like that takes time - Sandra could
have stopped it then!
Some ferrets LOVE to "fly" and enjoy being GENTLY tossed on blankets
or in baggies - but NONE should EVER be "slung around"! For God's sake
just HOW fast and how hard and how long does a ferret need to be "slung
around" to cause a bleeding rupture?
No - instead Sandra's post admits she allowed this behavior to continue
from room to room and ferret to ferret! Piranha, Casper, Wolverine and
the dog were the only animals named in Sandra's post - but obviously
NOT the only animals she supposedly shelters!
Did Sandra STOP the children from pestering a known biter (Piranha)?
No! Instead Sandra removed the ferret - when CLEARLY the children
should have been removed! I'd be willing to bet a WHOLE pizza that IF
Piranha had managed to clamp down on one of those kid's hands that
Sandra's post would have been crying about how she is getting sued by
volunteers! Sandra's post is a bit confusing about Piranha's broken
leg - was it already broken BEFORE the people arrived? OR was it
discovered (as other injuries were) AFTER they finally left of their
own accord?
Just the fact that:
>The kids where allowed to jump over my half doorways, (to step over to
>the next room) where ferrets were.
and:
>He insisted on jumping & running.
indicates that the children did NOT understand the dangers to ferrets
of such actions and ALSO that Sandra DID NOT PUT A STOP TO SUCH
BEHAVIOR! ALL of us with ferrets have learned the importance of doing
the ferret shuffle when moving around with free roaming ferrets and
many of us have stepped on our own ferrets - sometimes with dire
results; so how a "shelter" caretaker can witness and allow such
dangerous actions to continue in their OWN facility is absolutely
beyond my comprehension!
Has our society become so "politically correct" and afraid to ruffle
someone's feathers that we'll allow animals to be put in harm's way?
Maybe in YOUR society - but NOT in the one I choose to live in!
Am I perfect? I NEVER EVER made that claim nor will I ever - but I DANG
sure would NEVER allow such injustices happen to ANY of the ferrets in
my care or ANY animals within my view! Over the course of my lifetime
I have stepped in more than once to stop people from whipping their
horses unmercifully, beating their dogs because they didn't listen;
I've stopped more than one child that is NOT my own from misbehaving in
public or destroying other people's property! Typically the parent is
not in the vicinity or has already admonished the child and the child
refused to listen. On EVERY occasion with the wayward child the parent
has thanked me and was amazed that the child actually listened to me!
Some of these instances where I spoke up or took action were to prevent
the child or animal from getting hurt, some were to just stop
disrespectful behavior.
Sandra says: "These could be good kids with just simple discipline."
Simple discipline comes from many sources - NOT just the parents.
Sandra could EASILY have offered "simple discipline" to these kids just
by enforcing her own rules and curtailing IMMEDIATELY any infractions!
Showing them how to properly hold and interact with a ferret and how to
be cautious when moving about.
Ever hear the phrase: "It takes a village to raise a child."? Adults
CANNOT go around with blinders on hoping that the child's parent(s)
will offer appropriate guidance - as the shelter caretaker Sandra
established herself as the immediate authority of the facility and all
visitors should look to her for appropriate guidance! IF common sense
was NOT prevalent than it falls squarely upon the caretaker's shoulders
to STOP unacceptable actions and either remove the offenders or
strictly monitor their interactions!
Neither the FML NOR Sandra get any apologies for my post or any
subsequent posts regarding this matter!
Rest in Peace Wolverine and Casper I'm sorry your last moments with
people were unhappy ones - there will be NO abuse where you are now
and you will now be forever safely sheltered!
Regards,
Kim
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[Posted in FML 6581]
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