Paula
I am sorry to hear you were treated rudely by some shelters because you
have a young child.  Many shelters do not automatically rule out adopting
to families with small children, though some do (unfortunately, I think).
 
There are circumstances under which I would not recommend ferrets to these
families, especially if the child has no other experience with animals
and/or the parents have never owned ferrets before. But often there is no
reason for them not to add ferrets to the household.
 
A shelter owner recently posted on the FML about a similar situation to
yours.  She felt pretty good about the people, but had never adopted to a
family with such young children before and was concerned if it was the
right thing to do.  She got many responses from other shelter operators,
all urging her to either visit the family at home, or invite them to the
shelter to see for herself.  I hope things worked out for that family, and
I hope they work out for you.
 
Keep looking for a shelter that will understand your situation, and help
you find a ferret who is looking for your loving home.
 
Linda Iroff
[Posted in FML issue 2618]