Re: little white lies or damaging falsehoods
>Lizzi, I understand that you were trying to prevent a potential tragedy
>from occurring, but I cannot agree with your methods.
 
Thank you, Linda.  I really wanted to respond to Lizzi's post, but I was
feeling a bit slow in the verbal department yesterday.  (ie.  I really
didn't want to word something badly.) You captured my feelings as well -
"only truth educates."
 
Lizzi, please don't take this as a flame it's not.  I understand you were
doing what you thought was best and I can't fault anybody for that.  But I
must say that I found it very disturbing to read about the lies you told.
Especially since as I was reading your account of this kid I thought that
it seemed like he was purposely trying to push your hot botton - ferrets.
Why else would he keep telling you how close he was to buying a ferret....
perhaps it was that horrified look on your face.  The real torture wasn't
to a ferret, it was to you.  I wonder if buying a ferret would have been
quickly forgotten if you brushed it off with little visible interest?
 
Re: Ye Old Shelter Debate
Usually I say nothing in the shelter debate that periodically arises here.
Generally I have little to add and hence my silence.  But seeing the recent
posts, I'm urged to post.
 
I'm mostly your "average joe" pet owner.  Probably more knowledgeable then
most, but still pretty average.  Our first four ferrets came from pet
stores and our fifth came from some one who had the poor ferret dropped
off by her in a pillow case.  Now...
 
Would I adopt from a shelter?  Yes.  Would I buy from a pet store?  If I
couldn't adopt, yes.  Would I mind if a shelter talked to me to find out
who I am and little about me before adopting an animal to me?  Heck no.
I'd wonder what kind of shelter they were if they didn't.  But - I would
resent it if they tried to categorize, quantify, or "score" me on how I
would be as a pet owner, especially if they wanted to know details like
employment or financial data.  That resentment would probably send me to
a pet store.
 
You can't "test" someone via questionaires or forms.  Talk to them.  Person
to person.  It's the only way you can get an idea if they will **LOVE** and
**CARE** for the animal.  You can't test or quantify this by any means.
You can't tell it by if they are employed at the local 7-11 or a Fortune
500 company.  You can't tell it by if they are young or old.  Married or
single.  If they are wearing a black leather jacket or an Armani suit.  If
you are basing your adoption principles on such things, shame on you.  I
don't know whether to call you arrogant or ignorant....maybe both is most
appropriate.
 
People have love to share and seek companionship.  If this is why they have
come to you to adopt an animal, then who are you to judge them on things
that really don't matter?  If they love the animal, they will do WHATEVER
they need to in order that the animal stays happy and healthy - and by all
means, teach them the care that the animal needs.  Anybody truly interested
in loving the animal will be interested in its care.
 
-kim, pippi (If you give me raisins, I'll love you!), atlas (snoozing is my
 life), jinx (love me!), and rosie (Even though I call her "Rosie-rella,
 Terror of Tiny Town", she is a sweetie!)
 
Kimberly Burkard     |             _    Everything I needed to know in life,
Eastman Kodak Company|      _____C .._. I learned from my ferret:
Rochester, New York  | ____/     \___/  Frolic and dance for joy often, have
[log in to unmask]    |<____/\_---\_\    no fear or worries, and enjoy life.
[Posted in FML issue 2934]