Hello Penny,
 
I just read your post on the FML -- and that is a great way to help find
homes for those ferrets.  I also noted the following text:
 
>I just heard of a shelter closing her doors and giving up her ferrets to
>the aniaml shelters and another that is not able to take anymore because of
>vet bills are getting so high.
 
I am writing from Ferret Wise Shelter-- we have just instituted a revision
of protocol here and I surely hope that this is not what you were told about
us!
 
Ferret Wise Shelter is no longer able to take in the give ups -- in an
agreement with the local Monadnock Region Humane Society-- they urged us -
Ferret Wise to cease general sheltering-- in agreement they accept the
ferrets in for adoption.  This is so that the small volunteer core of Ferret
Wise can be mobile and start TEACHING both owners and shelter personnel how
to care for ferrets.  We are booked right through the month of October as I
type this... The ferrets at Ferret Wise HAVE NOT been surrendered to ANY
humane societies or SPCA's they are here and are in the adoption processes.
The elder ferrets are remaining as hospice residents both here and in their
hospice homes in southern NH.
 
We are still caring for these 23 ferrets!  We also continue our in place
veterinary programs and are utilizing the rehab.  facilities for those
ferrets who are referred here through local investigators for abuse and
neglect.  Though the sheltering accommodations have changed, Ferret Wise
remains a vital force for the ferrets of NH and New England.  Our new
program revision though serving fewer ferrets will probably in all
truthfulness be much more expensive-- especially when it come to the
litigation in abuse cases..
 
With the newly implemented programs staff volunteers are allowed more time
to travel and give talks and presentations to more groups in addition to
caring for critically injured ferrets.  We can now do home visitations and
help folks with behavior modification, ferret proofing, etc.  (something
caring for 40 plus ferrets a day would not permit) and be available to the
humane community for questions and consults in addition to training.
 
Ferret Wise is actively working on referral placements for local ferrets --
this will eliminate them going through the shelter and save stress on these
animals.  We also can keep in touch with other shelters and refer when there
are openings.  We also keep databases for veterinary referrals etc.  WE ARE
continuing to serve the ferrets and the ferret community.  So, if this was a
remark you were relayed as to this organization, the information was
incorrect.  If there was another ferret shelter which closed and turned
ferrets into the local shelters we are not aware-- we have been
communicating with the other NH ferret shelters and they are still running
their traditional shelter services.  Thanks for letting me address this
point.  For a more complete listing of shelter services-- check out the
shelter web page at : http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
 
Alicia Drakiotes
Outreach Education coordinator
Ferret Wise Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 2057]