With the recent upsurge of ferret surrenders to all of our shelters, and
the closing of others, we are now experiencing a crisis of overcrowding.
All of the Mass.  Ferret Friends ferret shelters are FULL to capacity and
overflowing, and some will soon be forced to turn away new surrenders
except in extreme cases.
 
At the same time, we are facing the impending closure of our first
established shelter: the Frisky Ferret Shelter in North Reading.  The
Frisky Ferret has been in operation since the very earliest days of ferret
legalization and was started by Lorraine Denicourt, founding member of the
MaFF, and the individual responsible for the drafting of the original
legislation making ferrets legal in Massachusetts.
 
Sadly, Lorraine must now close her shelter and all the ferrets in her
charge MUST be relocated by the end of November of this year.  There are
currently 29 ferrets in her shelter, and because of her closing, Lorraine
is accepting no new additions.  Of the 29 in her care, a small group of 6
to 8 are in need of a special adoption by folks with a great deal of ferret
experience.  This is because these special ferrets are currently considered
unadoptable by the general public for various reasons.
 
We must also inform you that ALL of our shelters are reporting record
surrender rates, and they are all full to capacity and overflowing to
Foster Homes.
 
THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL AND WE NEED YOUR SWIFT ACTION.
 
The bottom line is that these ferrets need homes. They need YOU.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU: IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ADD ONE OR MORE FERRETS TO YOUR
HOUSEHOLD, *PLEASE* LOOK INTO ADOPTION FIRST.
 
There is a regional crisis in ferret shelter overcrowding, and we have
received word that other shelters in the region are also closing due for
the most part to sheer exhaustion.  Operating a shelter is hard, often
heartbreaking work and we salute those who have stepped up to the task, and
we ask now YOUR help in relieving the crisis of our overburdened shelters.
 
We join FACT (Ferret Association of Connecticut) in their plea for
ADOPTIONS.  Please, if you can avoid it for now, do not purchase a new kit,
but rather adopt a shelter ferret who needs a home.
 
Contact a MaFF SHELTER TODAY!
 
THE MaFF SHELTERS ARE:
The Frisky Ferret Shelter
North Reading, MA
Lorraine Denicourt
978 / 664- 5006
[log in to unmask]
 
Luv of Ferrets Shelter & Rescue
Tewksbury, MA
Jo Fowler
978 / 851-7781
[log in to unmask]
 
The Educated Ferret Agency
South Hadley, MA
Donna Spirito
413 / 538-7108
 
Gimme Shelter Ferret Rescue
Wareham, MA
Jan DeJesus
508 / 291-1850
[log in to unmask]
 
Lists of available ferrets are posted to the MaFF Website at
http://www.maferrets.org
Go to the Website and look for the SHELTERS area. Call the shelters, too,
for late-breaking news.
 
Thank you!
[Posted in FML issue 2421]