Remember your local ferret shelter this holiday season!!
 
Here's a list of some things that would probably be appreciated by your
local shelter:
 
* BEDDING. Old towels and blankets make nifty ferret cage beds
* "Gently used" items.  Got bowls your ferrets don't use any more?  Got
   one too many water bottles?  Shelters can make good use of items in
   good condition, especially cages and carriers!
* A ferret Kong or jingly-balls for holiday play!
* Office supplies: pens, computer disks, camera film, white-out,
  stapler, paper cutter, etc.
* Treats or a bag of the shelter's favorite food
* Some homemade hammies or sleep-sacks (often homemade is much better
  quality, and more economical, than what you can buy in stores)
* Prepaid long-distance phone cards
* Grooming supplies (shampoos, flea combs, q-tips for ear cleanings, nail
  clippers, etc)
* Packages or cases of copy paper for their flyers, newsletters,
  brochures, etc
* Books on ferret care for the shelter's library
* A ferret first-aid kit
* A gift certificate to a pet store or grocery store
* Offer to put a link to the shelter's website on any of your own websites
* Give a coupon redeemable for several hours of shelter work by you!
* Send the cost of a set of vaccinations to the shelter's vet in the
  shelter's name
* Prepay a free steam-clean of the shelter's rugs or floors
* Cleaning products - sponges, detergent, paper towels, etc.
* Shelter supplies - litterboxes, litter, Totally Ferret, poop scoops,
  bowls, bottles, Petromalt, etc
* Buy a coupon for a car wash for the shelter's main vehicle (or offer to
  wash the shelter's car or van!)
* Collect spare change from co-workers and make a donation to the shelter
* Find a used fax or printer in the newspaper and buy it for the shelter
* A spa visit for an exhausted shelter mom or dad!  (and offer to
  shelter-sit while they go!)
* A basket of homemade goodies or fruit for a hardworking shelter mom
  and dad
* A prepaid gas card
* A gift card to a Wal-Mart or other discount store
* Mugs for mixing duck soup
* Sheets of linoleum for cage flooring
* Photo albums for shelter photos
 
Working with shelters and getting to know shelter moms and dads has taught
me that shelters often need a lot more than just the food and litter that
first comes to mind when we start thinking about shelter donations.  I've
tried to make this list pretty comprehensive, and as you can see there's
a wide variety of supplies and gifts that could help a shelter and its
residents have a VERY happy holiday!
 
-Heather
[Posted in FML issue 3629]