Since I mentioned foster homes for ferrets in my last message, I thought
I'd provide additional information on how the Cascade Ferret Network
manages its foster ferrets.
 
Keep in mind that we continue to develop our policies and procedures as we
learn.  We're also in the process of fully implementing some of these ideas
(especially a better filing system).
 
For each ferret in a foster home we provide the required equipment and
supplies or reimburse the foster parent for the cost of the supplies they
purchase (with pre approval from the coordinator).  We also pay for
veterinary care, again with pre approval for the procedure and the vet.
More often than not foster parents choose to provide the food, treats and
bedding themselves, and sometimes the equipment too.
 
Foster parents understand that the ferrets are temporarily in their care
and that the ferrets may be adopted out to a permanent home at any point
in time.
 
We find foster parents among our friends who won ferrets, through people
who've adopted ferrets, and from meeting with members of a local ferret
organization.  There are local resources to help folks find volunteers:
local newspapers usually have a section for listing volunteer
opportunities), or even a national system such as "Volunteer Match"
(http://volunteermatch.org).  Of course its up to us to screen and educate
prospective foster parents, but we already do the same sort of thing for
prospective ferret owners.
 
Ideally each ferret has an information sheet in a folder plus an associated
data card (an index card).  Likewise each foster parent has an information
sheet in another folder and an associated data card.  When a foster parent
takes in a ferret, that ferret's data card is placed with the the foster
parent's information sheet (via paper clip), and the foster parent's data
card is placed with the ferret's data sheet.  In this way you can quickly
find the status of any foster ferret or parent.  When a ferret is adopted
its information sheet is placed with the owner's information sheet in
another file.  In a perfect world this would all reside in a database so
you could search for foster ferret or parent attributes and easily keep
track of which adoptive parents are due for follow-up calls and which ones
expressed an interest in becoming a foster parent.  I have plans to setup
such a database system using Java with an HTML interface (this way it will
work on any system with a reasonable web browser).
 
That's all for now.
 
Leonard Bottleman               [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2517]