I am not going to side with either shelter in this, because I do not
know enough of the facts to be comfortable doing so. I respect all of
the people involved, and would prefer to keep on respecting them.
However, I do feel that there are times when it is proper for a shelter
to say no to incoming ferrets. As someone pointed out, we can never
save them all, even if we want to. And, unless you are a part of the
shelter group that says no, and have walked in their shoes, you should
not judge them.
In my own opinion, a shelter operator's first responsibility is to the
ferrets in his or her shelter. That means that before taking any new
ones in, you should first be able to provide the care the ones already
in the shelter need. If, for whatever reason, you feel you are not able
to provide the level of care needed to the current shelter residents,
then you should not take in new ones. To do so is unfair to the ferrets
already in the shelter.
People who feel that never saying no is part of a shelters duty run the
risk of becoming hoarders. I am not saying that any of the people who
have said they would never say no are hoarders - but if they really
feel that way, they may run the risk of turning into one. Hoarders
always feel they can provide for just one or 2 more, even when they
are not providing the needed care for the ones they already have.
I am not a shelter, but I am a breeder, and I know there is a limit to
how many ferrets I can have in my home and provide the needed amount of
care. For me, it is important to handle and play with each and every
ferret every day. If I get over a certain number, then I know I cannot
do this. If I have unsold kits from past litters, than I know it is
time to not breed any more jills until homes for the older kits are
found. My duty is always to the ferrets already in my home, and not to
some litter I might produce in the future.
As a breeder, and not a shelter, most of my ferrets are younger and
healthy. I usually do not have many, if any, that are older and sick
and need special feedings and medicine. If I needed to worry about
giving meds to a large number of the ferrets in my care, then the
number I could properly care for would be even less.
And then there is money. I need to know that I will be able to provide
whatever medical care is needed, even trips to the emergency vet when
required. The money I have also limits how many ferrets I feel I can
have and properly care for.
There are worse things in life than a humane death. Taking a ferret
that is sick and needs medical care out of a kill shelter, only to
bring it to your home and let it suffer because you cannot pay for
veterinary care is not saving the ferret and not helping it. Instead,
it is allowing the ferret to continue to suffer. So, if a shelter has
used all their money, and run their credit with one or more vet offices
to the limit, it is time for that shelter to say no to incoming
ferrets.
I do applaud shelters that set limits, and stick to them. No one can
tell a shelter what their limit is, but the operator should know. This
doesn't mean exceptions can't be made, if other circumstances allow,
but each and every shelter should have some idea of what their limit
is. Shelter operators who do not set limits and try to stick to them
run the risk of burning out, providing less than adequate care for the
ferrets, turning into hoarders, or worse.
Again, I am not saying the shelters who say they will never say no are
guilty of any of this - but perhaps they should think about what they
are claiming they can and will do. We all have limits of some type, and
to totally ignore them is reckless.
Too many times in the past we have seen good shelter people get in over
their heads and get into trouble because they would never say no. I
hope that none of the people currently involved in this controversy end
up in that situation.
Danee DeVore
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit:
<http://www.ferretadv.com>
ADV - Find out how you can help:
http://help4adv.terrabox.com/
[Posted in FML 6620]
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