Tara wrote:
>I didn't want you to think it was just funny,it was SOOOOOOOO FUNNY!
>It's just that i post like i talk...
 
Yes, Tara, you can write your posts any way that you choose to.  However,
writing things in an overly dramatic fashion will not help your causes in
the long run.  Exaggerating facts will only cause mistrust.
 
I am not saying you exaggerated in your initial post, but either this
was a clear cut case of abuse, in which case it was probably handled
incorrectly, or you overstated the conditions.
 
Here are excerpts from your initial post about the situation:
 
>There are 17 elderly ferrets involved.They were packed into a tiny room
>in a trailor in Eugene Oregon,with NO food nor water... No blankets,tiny
>wire cages...they had never seen the floor... ALL need surgeries,all are
>at least, adrenal.  They ALL look to need surgery NOW.Trouble is they
>are all just skin & bones,no one is certain the last time they even saw
>food.They will also need hydration,meds,ADV tests,vaccinations..most of
>you know the drill.
 
This would certainly indicate negligence, and in most states, negligence
is considered abuse.  You further stated:
 
>>THIS is truely an Emergency...
 
And this isn't hysterics?
 
In fact the very title of your post was "Ferret Emergency in Oregon -
Shelter Abuse - Please Help".
 
I was not present, so I don't know if it was abuse or not - only Chris
and Kristine know that.  And, admittedly, I do not know Oregon law
concerning animal cruelty.  However, I received several emails from
people after my other post from people who claimed to be from Oregon,
and who claimed Oregon has some very tough animal cruelty laws.
 
My point is, Tara, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to report
facts in a reasonable fashion.  Distorting the truth (if that is what you
did) to gain sympathy for your cause will eventually backfire.  If you
cry "Wolf" too often, people will start to ignore you.  I am sure that
you meant well, but you may actually have done more harm then good by
posting the way you did.
 
Shelters everywhere deal with bad situations on a daily basis.  I am sure
that Chris and Kristine did not need this additional burden on their
shelters.  But other shelters are in the same boat.  I am not saying that
these ferrets do not deserve care and attention - they most certainly do,
and I am sure they are in better hands with Kristine and Chris.  Nor am I
saying people shouldn't help out.  It is just I am receiving conflicting
information about the whole thing.  If this wasn't abuse, then how is it
any more important then what other shelters deal with daily?  If it was
abuse, then why was it handled the way it was?
 
The legal system is far from perfect, but we have to give it a chance to
work, or else we have no right to complain when it doesn't.  If we really
want to serve the best interests of the ferrets in the long run, we need
to work within the system, and make it work for ferrets the way it works
for cats and dogs.  Ferrets deserve the same rights as other companion
animals.  You may think it is soooooo funny, Tara, but a lot of us aren't
laughing - we are trying to sort through the facts and understand the
situation.  Abuse is not a joke.  Neither is making misleading
statements.
 
Danee
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit  http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom
[Posted in FML issue 3928]