I would like to take a minute to respond to the person who felt a person who
buys and sells ferrets is a broker, not a shelter.  Well, technically by
definition you're correct but.....
 
Here's one story: I'm at an auction and see a poor scared ferret in a less
then one foot square cage, no litter, wood chips for bedding, no water, no
food except for a few pieces of fruit (makes me wonder what they've been
feeding the poor fuzzy).  The ferret is skinny to the point of emaciation.
The ferret is put on the auction block, only one other person is bidding
against me and the price keeps going up and up....Finally, I win!  The bad
news: I paid more for the ferret than my adoption fee is and she needs to be
spayed and vaccinated yet.  How could I look in her sweet brown eyes and not
try my best to get her???  I get her home, get her out of her tiny cage and
give her a bath (she doesn't bite once, maybe she knows the hard times are
over?).  I give her fresh food and water, she digs in like she's never seen
food before.  After a few weeks she has gained enough weight to be out of
the danger zone and is ready to go in for her spay.  Surgery goes fine and
she comes home for some TLC.  In the meantime, she also gets her distemper
and rabies vaccine and a LOT of my time (don't know about you, but my time
*is* worth something, I just usually choose to donate my time as do most
shelter operators).  She's finally ready for adoption, I find a wonderful
home for her with other ferrets there for her to play with.  The adoption
fee covers a little over half of her direct expenses, not counting food,
litter, washing the bedding, etc....
 
So, my question to you is: Would a broker consistently take a loss by buying
and selling an animal???  Or is this something only a shelter operator would
do just to insure that one more fuzzy was saved from a horrendous
situation???  If you consider me a broker because I WILL buy ferrets if it's
the only way to get them out of a bad situation, so be it, but I know I
couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try.  BTW, I'm also a breeder
and DO NOT make a profit.  I'm very thankful if my ferrets paid for
themselves for a month.  To say that breeders always make money is plainly
false.  If they are doing everything correctly (good food, vet visits, etc)
then it is almost impossible to make a profit unless you are very lucky and
have no medical problems or charge outrageous fees for your animals.  Would
I like to make a profit?  Yes!  Who in their right mind wouldn't, but that
doesn't stop me from spending money on my ferts, even when I'm behind on
other bills.
 
Sorry this is so long, I just needed to vent a little....And if you'd like
to hear other stories of how much money we make buying and selling shelter
ferrets, I have more stories and I know the other shelters on the FML do too.
 
Tracy Tunnison
Mid-Michigan Ferrets and Rescue
"Where the Fun Starts!"
GLFA Show Registrar
[Posted in FML issue 1805]