Hi all,
 
I am typing this very gingerly, as I am not good at a) keeping mine foot
free from mine mouth and b) keeping my foot from stomping all *over*
people's toes when it *does* manage to stay out of my mouth.
 
Okay, disclaimer accomplished. Now:
 
Sukie posted some good thoughts about being careful about where you send
money to help ferrets.  Dayna posted some other thoughts about same.
Another poster (forgot the name, sorry) posted some "jokes" at Dayna's
expense, "jokingly" calling her a scam artist and saying that Sukie was
referring to her (which I don't see how he knows since presumably he's not
Sukie, but I digress...) and Dayna posted back that that confused her.
 
First and foremost, I have no idea what Sukie's "hidden motives" were (if
any) with her original post.  As far as I know there were none.  Second, I
don't know whether Dayna is legitimate or not.  I haven't met her or seen
her shelter, and because of where she lives, I am unlikely to.  Really,
without an inspection (in person) by someone who is well known and trusted
by the list (and of course by Dayna since an inspection of any sort would
put her fuzzies at risk, but since she does trust some people she might
trust a well-known fuzzy person) none of us can know whether Dayna is
"legitimate", or simply a very talented scam artist.  She could be either (I
could be an ax murderer, too, nobody here "knows" me).
 
So, it comes down to whether folks *wish* to make a leap of faith and send
money to Dayna.  On the one hand she could be a 50 year old businessman
pocketing all the money to keep his many mistresses, on the other she could
be exactly what she says she is (there are also a million possible scenarios
in between).  If you're not entirely comfortable that Dayna is who and what
she says she is, just don't send her money: it's pretty easy.  There is a
terrific new ferret rescue system set up (I read through it and have to
check it out, but it looks good so far) that is a good alternative, and of
course the suggestion to support your LOCAL shelters with time and money is
always a good one.
 
I, personally, do not know for sure that Dayna is what she says she is, and
because of that I will not send money directly to her (though I might send
it to her vet(s) if she requested it and I could check them out).  Other
people may make the opposite decision and choose to send Dayna money even
though they don't know her.  That's OKAY.  It's their money.  They can do
what they want.  And if they're right and I'm wrong, they've helped some
fuzzies that I should have.  There is risk either way, and I think it's as
rude to accuse Dayna's supporters of stupidly supporting a scam (when none
of us know that it is a scam) as it would be to accuse me of being an
untrusting Scrooge.
 
We're all grown-ups here, we can make decisions all by our widdle elves (as
Rosie and Maxie would say...). If any of us make the wrong ones, c'est la
vie.
 
Pam
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[Posted in FML issue 1617]