Good Morning!

We have opened our shelter to 11 ferrets this past few days due to the
deadly heat wave hitting this region .... no relief is expected for
about two weeks says the National Weather Service. I expect more to
come as the money for energy costs gets more difficult to find for many
people here in the mid-south.

Shortly after my release from the hospital last week for surgery
following three hospitalizations and four emergency blood transfusions,
this horrible heat wave hit Memphis and we have taken in these ferrets
to keep them safe. Joe is doing his best to help me as I am still not
at full strength.

As with other parts of the country, this area is hard-hit with high
unemployment rates and huge numbers of foreclosures. Many of these poor
folks are without a lot of means, unemployment benefits or being
reduced to a part-time job with little pay. That leaves many homes
unable to keep their air conditioners running at 24/7 - and this proves
a deadly risk for ferrets as the in-home temperatures rise somewhere in
the 80's for those trying to save money on energy bills. We have
already seen a couple of people have to treat their ferrets for heat
exhaustion this week. Some arrived here following the vet visit.

We were first contacted on Friday and the family brought their pets
here at the shelter for safekeeping. Since that day, we have seen quite
a few emails and received calls about heat-related health issues coming
up in ferrets in this area. I just pray there are no poor ferrets
stranded in the outdoor heat or in some garage out there suffering.....

We are posting a notice on our homepage about our shelter taking in
temporary pets during this horrible heat wave and we have already
contacted local humane societies and animal rescue agencies of all
types. Municipal and private. We are contacting the local vets now.

FML readers in this area, please spread the word about this
health-hazard for ferrets as many ferret owners are not aware that even
though cats and dogs can withstand and survive 80 degree temps in the
home, ferrets cannot. We hope that our rescue can provide a safe haven
for ferrets and ferret owners who cannot keep those air conditioners
running at all times - and this is needed to keep the in-home temps
somewhere in the mid-70's which is where we have it here at the
shelter.

In addition to the air conditioner running continuously, we have fans
blowing in every room - feels like a windstorm in some areas of the
house! We keep our lights off and use big flashlights to see in the
dark to preserve the energy and keep the house as cool as possible. Of
course, all blinds and curtains are tightly drawn shut. If there is
anything Joe and I can do to help keep these fuzzits cool, please let
me know. I know you folks in Texas deal with this all the time. Surely,
I am forgetting something.

Pray our old air conditioner keeps running for another two months or
so!

Stay Cool!
Hugs from Memphis!

Maren E. Qualls (formerly Doshier)
Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue &  Sanctuary

[Posted in FML 6780]