It really is a shame that what could be an informative perspective, whether
in agreement or not, should lose all consideration & respect because of the
personal need to include completely unnecessary & uncalled-for, snide
remarks.
 
As a ferret foster mom, I personally feel I've earned the right to use my
discretion in deciding where the ferrets in my care will go.  It really is
a matter of where you draw the line.  I might not qualify for some, there
are others whose only consideration is that the ferret doesn't wind up as
pet food, & the rest of us fall somewhere in-between.
 
My approach to qualifying a perspective adopter is simply letting them talk
while I listen.  I'll relay an experience or explain why I ask a question to
provoke a response.  All the while, I have a printed profile sheet to fill
in the info I'm collecting.  Our profile includes a check-off of issues I
explain, such as the vaccination & spay/neuter requirements for ferret
ownership in GA, & what every ferret owner should know about ferretproofing.
We've also included a check off of important considerations where we ask
the adopter to do some honest soul-searching in deciding if a ferret is the
right pet for their family & their lifestyle.  I need to know if that 20 yr
old's intention is to get a ferret w/out his parents' knowledge while living
in their home, or to sneak it into his dorm where pets are banned.  Is mom
going to get a ferret for her kids because they're bored w/the their hamster
or dog, or is it going to be their 8 yr old kid's sole responsibility to
care for the ferret because they really don't want it?  Just as a parent
protects their child, I'll not subject my fosters, who I have taken in,
cared for, nursed, or cried over, to a situation of potential harm or
neglect.  Just as all ferrets aren't suitable for children, all
children/people shouldn't have pets - the unwanted & homeless pet population
is all any intelligent individual needs to see that.
 
It isn't in the best interest of the ferrets, or any pet for that matter, to
base the decision to do an adoption on overpopulation.  Even animal control
agencies & humane societies have adoption guidelines - it's usually only
pet stores or money-hungry breeders that will sell pets unconditionally.
Hopefully more prisons don't take the same position to release due to
overpopulation.
 
Until the day comes when mankind values the lives of their pets, I will
continue to complain about convenience surrenders, neglect, & abuse as a
foster mom.
 
My opinions are my own.
Juliana Quadrozzi
GA Domestic Ferret Association
visit our web page at:  http://www.mindspring.com/~jcrow/gdfa/index.html
[Posted in FML issue 2301]