Can't believe it has been a week. Until yesterday (one week to the day)
I did not step outside this house. The van hardly knew how to start. I
will be giving an up date on the wonderful stuff sent, the hammocks,
toys, dishes, bottles, 50 pillowcases from a hotel = these are fun to
put tubes into and put into cages as these ferrets are investigating
everything now. FINALLY they are starting to use the hammocks, they
didn't know how - Zupreme sent food, and well, everyone will be listed
tomorrow.

I had no idea over 100 ferrets could be so much to deal with. The
shelter ferrets here are kept completely on the opposite side of the
house, but they need care and attention too. Unfortunately I have not
given them what they are used to. Everyone has been concerned with
getting the Rainbows set up

The vet was here yesterday and we were able to do about half of the
ferrets, taking blood for ADV testing, microchipping, giving rabies and
doing physical exams. I had the sheets the volunteers completed when
the ferrets first arrived but hadn't looked that closely. I am amazed
at how many broken teeth the females have - not the males. The girls
are the trouble here, boys are loveable - in fact there hadn't been
one bite from a male till yesterday and one little guy took it on his
own to escape and a volunteer did a football tackle type rescue and her
reward was to be the first to be bit by a male. The poor vet with some
of those females - you can't always hold onto a scuff when you have a
wild little girl in your hands. We had them more settled down but when
it came to the blood letting and shots they lost it and decided they
had "weapons".

Where we stand is we have most all the equipment we need except a few
more toys could be useful - they are trying to kill them, especially
if they rattle when shook.

Financially, we are having a hard time. Petsmart has donated the money
for the spaying and neutering. We do have extra expenses from the vet
above that. Right now our outstanding bill is $1060 for the emergency
care of cleaning the badly infected battle wounds, all are being
treated for coughing, (they were in cedar chips), and we had one girl
with no skin all around her rectum, she had to have surgery to put her
protruding back in and do a little "purse string" to get as much skin
to cover the raw meat as possible. We also have a gal here who can't
hold her head up steady, she eats like a little piggy, a beautiful
cinnamon girl, but she can't control the head - we HOPE it is ear mites
but we can't go extensive testing in view of the other expenses adding
up. We have a couple of teeth that are broken into the pulp which will
have to be extracted to relieve their pain - that isn't covered either
by the grant.

I am handling the cost of gas to and from the vet, (believe me it will
be extensive as I can take in only about 5 at a time for surgery, she
has other clients too. I am also handling the excessive utilities for
running that washer and dryer at least 10 hours a day, and friends
are buying me lunches and bringing them to me. I ask for nothing to
reimburse me what I am out, but it would help so very much if we
could get some donations to the vet to cover these extra procedures
I mentioned. Every dime will go into these ferrets, you can call and
place it on debit cards or credit cards or send her checks - just
designate it for the Rainbow Ferrets - they will give me an accounting
and I will acknowledge your donation so you KNOW it did go where it
was supposed to go

Wendy Dearixon, DVM
2720 N. Henderson
Dallas, Texas
214 252 0800

We do have paypal and will any donation through that also
www.txferretrescue.org
That could help the expenses our rescue group has with the litter and
food they put out till we got donations in.

We do expect this to be a ONE TIME operation, the costs won't go on
and on. These ferrets will be completely vetted to go - not shipped
out till everything is done we know to do on them OR they will go
with the knowledge whoever takes them will be expected to take full
responsibility. Remember Petsmart is getting out of selling ferrets -
so this is it.

and for some latest pictures, (we will be adding to this album with
other cute pictures as we go along so feel free to check it off and
on). I titled it "Rainbow Action Figures".

<http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff149/milliesa2003/Rainbow%20Action%20Figures/?action=share>

Millie and her Cleaning Crew
www.Txferretrescue.org

[Posted in FML 5910]