[Posted in tow parts.  Combined.  BIG]
 
I've never posted to the FML, though I've been a lurker for quite a while.
About me, I am a sucker for underdog animals, and am constantly taking
home animals in need.  I currently share my house with 25 ferrets, 2 sugar
gliders and 2 rats.  All of these animals were adopted or rescued, and at
least half of the ferrets are old or sick fosters from the Greater Chicago
Ferret Association.  I have had ferrets for 11 years and have had over 80
ferrets in my charge over the years (this excludes many more that I take
home to love at the end of their lives).  I work a full time job, and I
make enough money to support myself and all of my babies properly.  I
have regularly volunteered in numerous shelters for the past 10 years
and consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable about ferrets based on my
experiences.  I have volunteered at the Greater Chicago Ferret Association
for 10 years, and am proud of being part of such a fine organization.
I have many duties at the GCFA shelter and the club.  In addition to
exercising ferrets and cleaning the ferret cages, I give the ferrets their
medicine and feedings every day, I give subQ fluids, I give vaccinations
and emergency medicines when needed, I do therapy, I monitor everyone's
health and needs, I work with our wonderful shelter vets, and I have been
present for numerous surgeries and post mortems.  Also, I handle all of the
adoption paperwork, I write up all of the exercise, medicine, food, etc.
checklists, I created a ferret database to track all aspects of the
ferrets, I sell things on ebay to raise revenue, I do TV interviews to
promote the shelter, I attend all meetings, I help with the newsletter, and
I willingly help anyone needing it.  I am constantly staying up all night
with shelter fuzzies on the brink of death, telling them about the bridge,
letting them know that they are loved, holding them as they leave this
earth (either naturally or with vet help), and crying at their loss.  Aside
from our wonderful shelter director and his wife, I probably come in second
in amount of volunteer time spent at the GCFA.  Based on this, I can say
that I am pretty knowledgeable about the happenings at the Greater Chicago
Ferret Association.
 
I saw the post made by FURRY yesterday, and I would like to address some
of the issues brought up by FURRY.  This post is not meant to be a flame.
Since FURRY publically voiced some opinions about the GCFA, people who are
part of the GCFA should be entitled to respond publically.  Note that any
statements here are my own (in my own capacity as a member and volunteer),
and are not necessarily those of the GCFA itself.  I personally don't
understand why FURRY has a problem with the GCFA policies.
 
Regarding using the FML to ask for volunteers, how is this any different
than using the FML to ask for donations, adopters, or to post other club
information (as your own organization has also done on numerous occasions)?
Isn't that one of the purposes of the FML?  The person who posted asking
for volunteers (Amy) is a wonderful volunteer herself, and she took it
upon herself to try to get more volunteer help.  What she did was very
commendable, in my opinion.
 
Regarding the GCFA adoption process, perhaps you have only talked to a
few of the people that we refused adoptions to, and just ask Randy Horton
at Especially Ferrets, Inc. how such people can make things up.  (Hey
ferretguy, I can really relate to you on many issues).  Our adoption
process is not very complicated or cumbersome at all.  (Please, we don't
want to start another debate on adoption policies here.)  The ferrets
we take in are our charges, and we take it upon ourselves to do what we
believe is best for them, as I'm sure you do at your shelter.  We do not
place our ferrets with anyone who walks in the door.  Our process is not
invasive.  However, we do ask general questions either directly or in
conversation to feel the person(s) out.  We talk to the adopters, and if
we feel comfortable with them and they seem knowledgeable and willing to
learn, they will be allowed to adopt.  It's their attitude that matters
most.  We educate the adopters as much as needed, and tell them to call
us with any problems.  We also have a return policy.  Actually, it seems
easier than your own adoption policies, whereas you state that you
personally call with the potential adopter's vet or do a home inspection.
We do not have the resources to do home inspections unless the
circumstances call for them.  Look at our track record.  We have adopted
out close to 3000 ferrets over the years (currently average one adoption
per day), without constantly having to ask for adopters or donations on the
FML, so we must be doing something right (although donations are always
desperately needed and would be greatly appreciated).  The adoption process
is not our problem.  The problem is the overflow of incoming ferrets.  We
take in ferrets from private individuals, from NUMEROUS other humane
societies in the area (there are many, many more than just the Animal
Welfare League), from police departments and landlords, and we get many
strays.  We also have traveled to other states to pick up ferrets.  When
one of our dedicated members (who lovingly fostered many of our ferrets)
died, we took in 43 of his ferrets, mostly old and sickly ones.  Another
Chicagoland shelter closed its doors, so that placed an even larger burden
on the GCFA.  Thus, as fast as we can release the ferrets, more come in.
Please keep in mind that Chicago is much larger than St. Louis is, and the
various types of people in Chicagoland are also quite different.  The GCFA
does NOT turn away any ferrets that are in desperate need.  All ferrets at
local humane societies are taken in, all strays are taken in, all ferrets
in emergency health or give-up situations are taken in.  However, we get
many calls from people who don't have enough time anymore, or with various
other non-emergency reasons to give up their ferrets.  For these people, we
try to coach or educate them so that they can keep their ferrets.  For
those who still want to give their ferrets up, and if our shelter is full,
we ask if they can try to find a new home for the ferrets on their own, or
if they can wait just a while until a cage opens up.  We make sure these
people know that if they must give up the animals immediately, they should
not "dump" them, that we WILL take them.  Thus, we have a waiting list of
people who are willing to wait for a cage to open up.
 
It is great that FURRY takes in ferrets from Animal Welfare League in
Illinois.  However, you make it sound like you are constantly helping the
GCFA.  FURRY took some of the GCFA "overflow" once.  St. Louis is on the
border of Southwestern Illinois, so yes, FURRY surely takes in ferrets
from that area of Illinois.  However, St. Louis is around 300 miles from
Chicago, so those Illinois ferrets that you take in are closer to your
shelter than ours.  Please stop insinuating to the entire FML that just
because you take in ferrets from Illinois, you are constantly relieving the
burden of the GCFA, as the GCFA did not ask for any help.  The next time
the GCFA gets a ferret from Springfield (closer to you), can we post that
we are helping with the FURRY overload?
 
Regarding your comments of coming to our shelter to help with our overflow,
please allow me to explain the situation.  We would gladly transfer some
of our ferrets to other shelters and we have policies for such situations.
When we take in ferrets, we take on the responsibility for that life.
We prefer to do an inspection of the other shelter to ensure that the
conditions are proper.  We also prefer to view the policies of the other
shelter, especially relating to euthanasia.  We are a no-kill shelter
(only euthanize if the animal is in great distress and no remedies can be
performed).  Any old or sick animals that cannot get adopted out are
approved for foster care.  We do know of places that will routinely
euthanize ferrets over a certain age, ferrets that bite, and ferrets that
need special attention, so we want to ensure that our ferrets do not get
sent to such places.  One of our policies explains which ferrets that we
will release to other shelters.  In general, we prefer not to release
ferrets that we have already spent loads of money on (vet exam, shots,
diagnostics, surgeries, etc.) and have another shelter get the adoption fee
and us nothing in return to help recoup our losses.  Also, old or sick or
depressed ferrets that we believe are not up to another stressful change in
their lives are not released.  The first ferrets in line to go to another
shelter are those that are on our incoming waiting list, ferrets that we
have not yet taken responsibility for.  If we run out of ferrets on our
waiting list, then we would start releasing our healthy residents.  FURRY
did graciously agree to take ferrets on our waiting list and did so.  The
GCFA called people on the waiting list and had them bring in the ferrets
to the shelter and FURRY took those ferrets.  The GCFA only acted as an
intermediary in the process.  This is very similar to other shelters that
are full and post to the FML of ferrets in humane societies or households
and ask for people to please get them directly so they don't have to go to
the shelter.  The "volunteers are too attached to them" comment was likely
taken out of context somehow.  If FURRY requested some specific ferrets
they saw in our shelter, it is possible that certain volunteers were
planning on adopting or fostering the animals in the near future.  The
volunteers cannot help but fall in love with some of the residents, and
they are allowed to put them on hold until they can adopt them.  I am
grateful to FURRY for its help, but if they cannot accept the GCFA transfer
policies, then please just don't help the GCFA anymore, don't knock our
policies (which we believe are reasonable).
 
Regarding publicity, the GCFA does many things to promote ourselves to our
community.  We have done interviews on FOX TV and WGN TV and on the radio.
FOX even came to our shelter on at least two occasions and filmed the
ferrets there, did an interview, and gave out our shelter information (we
have tapes as proof), and Continental Cable spent two days with us getting
material for their show.  The GCFA does go to pet stores and hand out
literature.  The GCFA also has a booth at the very large annual Chicagoland
Pet Expo.
 
I don't understand your comment regarding the woman who said she filled out
an application and sent it in for an adoption.  We do not have any adoption
"applications" or any offsite forms, just a form that is filled out at the
shelter for each ferret actually being adopted.  Could you supply more
information or the person's name?  Perhaps this person was mistaken about
the shelter involved?
 
In conclusion, please do not keep telling the FML world about GCFA policies
or procedures that you have no personal (first-hand) knowledge about.
Why not ask people at the GCFA and get your facts straight before making
negative comments?  The GCFA is comprised of many wonderful people, both
in its membership and shelter volunteers.  We don't deserve your comments.
 
Donna Kalafut
[Posted in FML issue 3225]