With all that is said, just want to emphasize it just plain isn't fair
to expect the shelter to do all the work without volunteers. In fact,
you can worry if they don't allow as some of the worse rescues of
shelters started where help was refused, they wouldn't allow people
come and clean.
Now for this to be of benefit, volunteers should free up the Mom to get
caught up on the paperwork, wash bedding, clean food dishes water
bottles, toys, inventory the medicine cabinet, respond to calls, and do
other things. (it's not a break they get to put their feet up and
relax). Volunteers are oh so needed and ever so often there is going to
be an apple that spoils the basket (did I say that right). They need
supervision. Lots of time I have the juvenile community service kids
here, they are dropped off. Supervising them takes almost all the
benefits away but after a visit or two, they know the routine and I can
do my work while in or near the rooms they are working on. (I have 3
rooms set up). The only reason I continue to do it is because I think
it does two things, gives me a little extra time, it helps those kids
in trouble to suffer the consequences of their actions AND they learn
about ferrets and care taking. Most of them are animal lovers, a few
because I am convenient to where they live but most are animal lovers.
In all fairness, although Kim's bashing was harsh, to run a shelter,
you do need to develop a backbone to be able to say STOP. This is not
just for volunteers but for expectant adoptors as well. First it's good
to explain to the parents and child this is not the way and it hurts
the ferrets. Then if they continue, just have a catch phrase you can
say like THIS JUST ISN'T WORKING, lets postpone this to some other time
or I don't think a ferret is the pet for you. You learn to bulk up to
doing. I too, in my younger days, was afraid to "rock the boat", do
something to hurt someone's feelings or make them mad. Now 18 years
later of doing this, I have developed the backbone to say No or Stop or
whatever it takes to protect the ferrets as they were placed in my care
control and custody. I have had people come - and believe me it is hard
to say after they have passed being qualified, had all their other
animals vetted, apt management okayed them to have the ferrets - and
their children were so unruly, I had to say I don't think a ferret is
the pet for you because of such and such. I have had them agree, argue,
beg and have been told I was forcing them to go to the petstore to get
a ferret. My standard come back to is it doesn't matter where you get
the ferret from, the care and treatment would be the same and you will
have the same problems I just witnessed.
Sheltering is not easy and not for the meek. No one needs to be
criticized and bashed for not being able to do what a more experienced
person would do. This is a list to help supported and teach and should
it ever occur again, that shelter person should no longer be shocked
and will be able to respond in such and such a manner. Even old timers
like me learn new ways and techniques to make situations better. But I
will be darn, as hard as I work, I will not have someone bash me for
what I do - that only makes me cut myself off from such a source rather
than turn to it for help. Not everyone is people persons and it's a
technique in itself to learn constructive criticism vs out and out
bashing.
Hopefully enough has been said on this and both sides learned from it.
Millie and the Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue
www.txferretrescue.org
[Posted in FML 6581]
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