>>There is a ferret Shelter in Ohsweken, Ontario in the Six Nations Reserve
>>close to Branford.  They recently acquired 4 ferrets from a Barn Yard
 
Anne wrote:
>They run a shelter and have no money.  They bought these animals, they took
>the responsibility for them.  This is worse than buying a ferret as a pet
>and then not having the money to care for it.  They should have known
>better!  What is the matter with these people?!?!  They have HUMAN CHILDREN,
>are not working, have no money, and they are adopting unaltered ferrets with
>temperment problems!?!?  These people shouldn't be running a shelter! ...
 
I have to say that I agree with Anne's post of this situation.  These people
are not running a shelter and SHOULD not be running a shelter.
 
I know most (if not all) ferret shelters are strapped for cash and many of
us do without to take care of expenses, but this situation is worse.  How
can they even function with no income?  We all know the costs of caring for
our own little ones, but running a shelter just multiplies it astronomically.
 
Before I even considered becoming a shelter, I thought long and hard on how
things were going to get paid for and what resources I had to cover this in
additon to my own monthly bills.  I know of others who have taken second
jobs just to help fund their shelter.  It is a big responsibility,
monetarily and emotionally, to take on and you must be prepared as much as
possible.  I am all for helping out a fellow shelter operator when I can,
either monetarily or otherwise, but I am not going to fund someone else's
shelter completely in addition to my own.
 
Maybe instead of asking for cash someone can offer to transport these
ferrets (Ferrets Across America works!) to another shelter or to someone
(like Troy Lynn, for example, not that I am volunteering you!) who has much
experience with abused (biting) ferrets, that would be interested in taking
these ferrets.
 
It just seems irresponsible to me that these people have no money to take
care of themselves and their children, and yet they want to run a shelter.
Flame me if you will, but unless there are other circumstances that I am
not aware of, I am standing by my opionion.
 
Mary and the gang of 10....
 
Mary McCarty-Houser
Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
Director, Centre County Branch
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 2292]