Good Day Fellow Fuzzy Lovers!!
 
Got my asbestos on... fire 'em up, gang!!  I'm a south Floridian so I'm
used to the heat  ;->
 
After reading so many posts about people wanting to find good homes for
their ferrets I am compelled to make an observation.  (Everyone feel free
to throw their hat into this ring, just let's not "duke it out" on here,
okay?  This is not an issue of right or wrong, it's strictly OPINION and I
will courteously respect yours - and "his" and "theirs" - if you will
consider doing the same, please...)
 
Sufficient disclaimer and plea having been put forth, I now proceed:
 
I say, "KUDOS!" to someone who loves their fuzzies enough to want to give
them the best home possible, even if it can't be with them.  My hat is off
to the hooman who puts such a heartbreaking plea into writing, and even
more so to the person who has sought out The FML, or any other medium geared
specifically to ferret lovers, to utilize it toward that end, whether
directly or indirectly (through a friend).
 
What puzzles me is this:
 
Price.  Money.  Dinero.  I so often see price tags put onto the heads of
the fuzzies that I wonder What Is Going On that one would seek monetary
compensation in return for someone else taking on the responsibility that
they can (or, occasionally, will) no longer accept?  Anticipating the
reply, "Well, I need to recoup all/some of that money that I put into the
cage, accessories, etc.." my next question would be, "Did you anticipate
getting that money back when you BOUGHT the ferret(s)?  Did you not
consider it money "gone/history/sayonara", lovingly put toward the
well-being of these new family members?" I should clarify: by "money" I'm
talking upwards of $100... who should reasonably expect something for
nothing when it comes to tangible items?
 
The other thought sometimes prompted in my mind is, "Okay - tell ya what -
you KEEP the cage, etc... you keep your $$ investment $$ and I'll take the
ferret that you - for whatever reason - can no longer keep and I will
assure you that it will have the loving home that you're seeking for it."
*sigh* It just seems as though (what should be) the WHOLE POINT of the
"transaction" gets lost in the shuffle - THE FERRET, THE FERRET AND IT'S
HAPPINESS!!
 
What adds insult to injury is when you see the ages of some of the ferrets
being "advertised"... 4 months... 6 months... In those cases, who didn't
have the foresight to see that their lease was up soon?  Who might've
learned, with just a bit more investigation, that maybe a ferret was NOT
the ideal pet for their lifestyle?
 
Okay, you people who have unforeseen circumstances, I hold my palms toward
you and ask forgiveness if you are offended... I humbly concede that life
does throw curveballs that sometimes, all too often, break our hearts in
some manner.  BUT, in those cases, is money going to ease your pain?  Is it
going to make it any easier to part with your 3 or 4 year-old ferret who is
as much a part of your life as your biological child?  Which brings up
another issue that I will not address here, i.e., would you give your child
away....?  (don't go there, Kat... ha ha)
 
ANOTHER GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: I am not on a grudge-rage here... I am NOT
out "shopping for a bargain." I've decided that the next fuzzy that I get
WILL be from a shelter and I will HAPPILY pay the shelter their adoption
fee for the expense of having housed, cared for and loved the ferret that
Someone Else decided that they could/would not.  In addition, perhaps that
fee having been paid indicates to the shelter the sincerity of the potential
hooman and reinforces that it is not an "impulse buy", (Anne - I remember
you talking about how to "weed out" the serious from the not...) but does
that hold true for the private citizen???  I'm skeptical.
 
If you saw the shelter issue earlier this year, or if you ARE a shelter,
you are painfully aware that shelters are NOT for-profit businesses.  The
profit realized is undoubtedly that of unconditional love and gratification
for having helped some of God's beautiful creatures who cannot help
themselves.  Those people have my eternal gratitude for taking on a mission
that I could only hope to have the means to and, IMHO, they undoubtedly
deserve much more thanks - financial or otherwise - than they receive.
 
Sorry, friends, I'm ranting here, and there is still so much left unsaid..
It's late in the evening and I may cringe upon re-read tomorrow, but this
has been on my mind for a while now.  AGAIN - comments on this topic are
welcomed (sorry, BIG)... please address them to the FML so that we can all
gain from each others' opinions, experiences and insight.  Isn't that what
this is all about?  I sure hope so, 'cause I've learned A LOT from you guys -
"thank you"!!!!  :-D
 
Regardless of your opinion, I am still happy to be a fellow FML-er with all
of you and I wish all fuzzy homes LOTS of happy dooks!!  Have a super
weekend, too!!
 
Melissa,
proud mom to Dexter, Cocoa & Mojo   >^v^<-,-------------,''''''''
[Posted in FML issue 2308]