I apologize if I stepped on any toes.  Thank you, Marguerite, Lisa,
Rick, Faith, Joanne and Caryn for your dialog and varied perspectives
in replying to Wise use of Shelter Funds.
 
First of all, I did not include Rabies as it is not required in my area,
but you are right; that would increase costs substantially and laws must
be followed.  Rabies DO need to be administered by a vet in every state.
 
Secondly, I did not endorse the POCT, only listed it's possiblility along
with United's test.  I respect each shelter's choice for whatever reason
they have for whichever they use; just thankful they do test.
 
I respect each shelter's choice of vet administered vaccinations versus
self administered.  I also respect the reasons of each for the choices
they make.  Much will depend upon their financial abilities to support
those choices, confidence in their abilities to handle a reaction should
one occur and vet support in the event of a reaction.  My vet never
charged for checking a ferret following a reaction.  Also, had I ever
lost a ferret following a reaction, I might feel differently.
 
For shelters that do their own vaccinations, they should already have
fluids on hand, and once they purchase the Dex/injectible Benedryl and
Epi, it will be good until it expires, sometimes years out.  It isn't an
ongoing cost each time.  However, not everyone is comfortable treating a
reaction, and I respect that.
 
I don't want to get into a protracted debate over the
FervacD/GalaxyD/Purevax vaccines, but GalaxyD was used for years, with
a proven effectivness track record, before FervacD or Purevax were USDA
approved.  While I'm glad we have 'approved' vaccines for ferrets, the
fact that the company producing GalaxyD chose not to invest the expense
to pursue USDA approval doesn't mean using the vaccine is in any way
jeopardizing the health of your ferret.
 
I understand the AFA's decision to adhere to USDA approved vaccines, and
if you are vaccinating with an 'approved' vaccine in order to have a
ferret admitted into a show hall, that is fine.  It just doesn't qualify
that someone using GalaxyD is harming or putting their ferret(s) at risk.
Given GalaxyD's reaction rate, I believe using it is reducing the risk of
a serious reaction.
 
The bottom line, and I am going back to lurk mode because I don't want
to turn the FML into a battle ground over this, is simple: I know ALL
shelters have a financial crunch for dollars to care for the ferrets
they take in.  Many run fundraisers, which is good.
 
However, it seems like there are certain shelters or individuals that
are turning the FML into a classified section, and it's getting a bit
old.  If it were different shelters every day, or you would see a given
shelter once or twice a month, it would be different.  But after
scrolling past the 'ad' section week after week, seeing TinyPrints almost
daily it seems, I just found it distrubing that LittlePrints has ebay
items listed so often, and is still begging for funds to assist with
a 6 ferret rescue, while other shelters around the country are doing 6+
ferret rescues all the time but we never see them posting for
funds/sponsors.
 
How many would continue to subscribe to the FML if every shelter did
this???
 
[JY]
[Posted in FML issue 4846]