One thing folks may not be aware of is that N.J. shelters are OVERFLOWING
with ferrets right now, and according to Dr. Campbell increasing numbers are
showing up at pounds after being found wandering.  There seem to be more and
more casual owners who turn them loose to "fend for themselves" -- something
I've put into quotation marks because we know that means they will die.
This one of the expected problems of popularization, one which cat and dog
activists warned us about years ago.  PLEASE, all clubs be sure to include
in your information days and newsletters that ferrets can't fend for
themselves.  Don't know how to get this problem under control; the most
anyone can do is to try to discourage casual aquisitions by trying to teach
people about ferrets BEFORE they buy them.  (Now, if only pet purchases came
with 10 day waiting periods during which people had to learn.)
 
We all know that most dogs and cats in this situation probably wind up dead
due to lack of space.  How long will it take for this to be the typical
fate of ferrets in similar situations?  Help shelters.  Adopt when you can.
Donate.  Sponsor.  Foster.  Do not buy casually and don't get more ferrets
than you can afford to care for.
 
BTW, DO be polite to the shelter people!  Heard recently of a case in which
a person who wanted to adopt was chewing-out the shelter people because she
wanted to adopt and she wanted to adopt NOW, and to hell with their jobs and
their familys and their needed trips to the doctor.  Shelter operators work
enormous hours for the critters, and they have family responsibilities like
anyone else, sometimes they get ill, or have to be away on business, of any
of the other things we all have to do in addition to their shelter
responsibilities.  Can you imagine the dedication they have to do so much on
top of all that?  To rant at them is just completely uncalled for, and
personally I have to wonder if doing so is an indication that the person
behaving so shamelessly lacks the patience which ferrets need in their
people.
 
Thank you so very much, shelter folks!  You do much, much more than I ever
could!  And many thanks, Bill, for providing the forum where this can be
discussed -- you also do much more!
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2337]