>From:    Patricia Curtis <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Shelter crowding
>One case especially I am concerned about is a South Miami shelter with
>approximately 160 ferrets at the present time, 50 to 60 of those need
>adrenal surgery/treatment... I am most concerned about *how* these folks
>expect to pay for these kids' surgeries ... a staggering amount of money,
>this does not include medical care for the other 100 or so, or everyday
>food bills, etc..  Can anyone tell me how they are supporting themselves??
>with this many ferrets!
 
(let me start off by saying that this is not directed at you personally,
Patricia.  You just hit an exposed nerve and I need to vent a little bit.)
 
You're right, how *do* we pay for these surgeries.  At $300 each... well,
anyone out there have $15,000 laying around they'd like to contribute?  One
kind soul, Deena Canals with FOG (Ferrets On the Go) IS doing something by
attempting to raise funds with her group to get adrenal surgery for Barrett,
one of our shelter guys.  Then there's the ones out there that are DEEPLY
offended by us asking for money here in the FML.  Sheeesh, like we're
picking their pockets.  A couple kind souls did send in a donation when I
begged a while back..  a total of four people I believe.
 
How do we support ourselves?  With a lot of begging and trying every fund
raising scheme imaginable.  We had a "Ferret Fun Festival" this past weekend
and raised right around $1000.  Since we spend $75 per day just on food and
litter, that's only 13 days worth of those items.  We're in a recycling
contest and hope to win something besides the money garnered by cashing in
on the aluminum (which is not much by the way).  We're producing a recipe
book to sell and so on and so forth.  Anyone out there want to buy a $1
raffle ticket?  We're also doing that to raise funds.  It's never ending,
DAILY struggle.
 
Being ECE active, we're having a hard time placing ferrets in new homes,
but we keep trying.  Our doors are closed to new arrivals unless it's an
emergency case.  Even so, we adopt out one or two and take in one or two
more abandoned ferrets and the numbers never seem to go down.
 
I know there are at least a couple people out there that don't think we're
doing everything we can for our ferrets.  I must agree that it may seem that
way sometimes but the ferrets are our only concern.  I remember the post
here in the FML not so long ago about the girl who drove 10 hours to drop
off 9 or so ECE active ferrets to another shelter who agreed to help during
the crisis... and then turned around and drove back to rescue them from what
she saw as less than adequate care.  I don't know both sides of that story,
but lets just say that not everyone is as dedicated and caring when it comes
to their ferrets.
 
Some have asked why Angela (our shelter operator, club president, etc.)
won't take the offers to ship some of the ferrets to shelters that are
willing to take some off our hands.  The above story is the main reason.  It
was tried once here and we had similar results.  I believe some think that
Angela is only concerned with keeping her "pets" and is not thinking of the
ferrets' best interest.  I don't think this could be any further from the
truth.  Here is a person that has dedicated her LIFE to caring for the
shelter ferrets.  She doesn't have a job, has her own medical problems which
she mostly puts off at the expense of her own health just so she can be
there 24 hours a day for the shelter.  80% of her house is shelter.  It
isn't housed in some corner of the garage, but in two FULL rooms and then
some.  She works around the clock and not a single ferret of the 160 lacks
in care and loving.  They all get their medications, baths, nails clipped
(thanks Jackie!), litter changed, play time, etc., etc.  I hate to say it,
but she probably takes better care of the 160 than some ferret lovers do for
their one or two.
 
Yes, 50 or so are waiting for adrenal surgery.  You tell me... what are we
to do?  Euthanize unadoptable ferrets as they do with unadoptable pets at
the humane society?  Give up the shelter and just allow people to let their
ferrets go in the wild?  We can't save every one and maybe we're guilty for
trying.  Would the adrenal ferrets be better off left in the hands of an
uncaring owner that only wants to get rid of an expensive nuisance?
 
Do I sound pissed?  You bet!  I'm pissed at 90% of the human race for
requiring animal shelters for abused and abandoned animals of all kinds.
I'm pissed that I can't win the Lotto and support the shelter 100%.  I'm
pissed that there is so much ignorance out there about ferrets... and the
list goes on.
 
  Mike
 
* Michael F. Janke - [log in to unmask]
* Member, South Florida Ferret Club & Rescue
*
* Shelter Home Page - http://www.bridge.net/~mjanke
[Posted in FML issue 1761]