I made the initial post.  I was not personally responsible for placing
Taylor in the shelter, the young man who needed to give her up within 5
days made the decision.  I went over every single response with him that I
received and they were plentiful, several in the same town, but HE decided
it was more convenient to go with the shelter.  It had nothing to do with
me not finding anyone interested, he just wanted her out of his hair as
quickly and conveniently as possible.  I asked him 3 times to wait an extra
day so she could be placed directly into a home, but without telling me, he
handed her over to the shelter.  He is in Florida, I am in PENNSYLVANIA.
Shelters are wonderful resources and I stand in awe of what they do
everyday, but placing her in a home was my and, initially I thought his,
first intent.
 
It was a mistake that I became involved in the first place.  He was given
my name because he initially said he was in the Maryland area (I am
originally from Baltimore and live in PA and help with placements up here).
Under these circumnstances, if she were local, I take the needy fuzz into
my home and then place him directly into a permanent home.  I am not a
shelter, just someone who happens to care about whether or not the fuzz in
need finds a new home and does not end up at the SPCAs locally or are 'set
free'.  I have helped with more than a dozen different placements in the
past year, including several pairs or multiples.  Only on one other
occassion did a ferret end up at a shelter and that fuzz was a terrible
biter and we thought rehabilitation would be needed.  I just took into my
home 2 old guys because no one was interested in them and they had to go.
Otherwise they would spend what was left of their lives in a shelter, they
are not exactly high on the demand list.  One of these ferrets is 7 years
old and has early adrenal, I took him in knowing the situation and
financial involvement required.  Wanna volunteer for the next old fuzz
that happens along needing a new home?  Or should we definitely contact
the shelter for them????
 
A little background on Taylor, she had been handed off several times
between friends, so this guy who had her was not someone who had loved and
cared for Taylor all of her short life.  His interest was not in finding
the absolute best solution, it was to find the quickest solution regardless
of what someone had to offer.  I am sorry you are upset, but don't blame
a person who was pulled into the middle only trying to help.  By the way,
if you are so amandant about saving a ferret, why not go to the nearest
shelter and bring home ANY fuzz that needs a loving home.  There are plenty
of Taylors out there (as I posted yesterday on the FML).  If I did such a
terrible thing or job trying to keep this far away fuzzy from ending up at
a dog shelter or roaming loose, let me know.  I do this to help and if
that is not happening I guess should just stop trying and wasting mine and
everyone else's time.  Maybe you could take over and get involved with
actually helping whenever/wherever you are asked, not just when the fuzz
is a city away and convenient.  Or only when you will receive the direct
reward of having a new fuzz come to live with you, not just a phone call
saying thank you for helping.  Guess I've been stupid enough all along to
think that phone call and the knowledge the ferret was safe, whether in a
shelter or new home, was enough.  Damn me.....
 
Jen and Gang
[Posted in FML issue 2936]