Your story really irked me and made me wish I could fly to Reno to knock
some heads together.  However, I doubt it would be necessary to go all
that way, because what you've described happens everywhere, I'm sure.
 
Just last week, I 'inherited' 3 more ferrets.  How does my family grow to
4 overnight?  I guess my heart is just too soft when it comes to these
dear animals.  When I was telling one of my coworkers about the sudden
addition the next day (she owned ferrets before), she made a comment
about my being 'lucky'.  I tried to explain that though I'm lucky to be
involved with such awesome creatures and that these particular ones ended
up with an owner who would throw herself into oncoming traffic to save
them if need be, it's not really luck at all.  These situations just
should not happen, period.
 
A few weeks ago, there was a ferret listed in the classified section of
our local paper as a 'giveaway'.  Unfortunately I don't get up at 6AM to
read the paper and by the time I called at 11:30AM, the 'beautiful
cinnamon to a good home only' was GONE.  Gone where?  You're giving it
away, no paperwork involved.  How do you know it's gone to a good home
when even shelters who CHARGE MONEY and have friggin' BOOKS of paperwork
to be filled out before you're allowed to adopt can't be guaranteed that
a ferret is getting a GOOD home?  You just don't.
 
At that point, I didn't even know what I was going to do with another
ferret even if they did still have it by the time I called, but I have
a steady job that pays enough for me to get by with a savings account.
I have good credit.  I was going to come up with something, anything to
make it work.  Putting 'giveaway' in the ad just freaked me out because
when you give something away, you're just inviting the jerks in.  I was
ready to do anything for this animal, I'd even had loose arrangements
with my brother to take it since I wasn't planning to add another ferret
to the family at the time.  All sight unseen.
 
I cried when I found out someone else got it.  Not because I was upset
that *I* couldn't have it.  Because I was upset that no one had any idea
where it might end up.  I consoled myself by going and grabbing Kahlua
(who was aimlessly wandering around the house) and crying on/hugging her.
At least I could know that I helped her when she needed it.  And then
there was Anakin and his situation...
 
Now, I, the person who wasn't really looking to add any more ferrets to
the family right at this second, ended up with 3 more all of the sudden
just because of the 'I adopted my ferret' magnet on the back of our van.
It's odd how you end up at 'the right place at the right time'.
 
Even though I don't adopt out and I don't go through the stress that
shelter Moms go through, I worry.  About the ferrets at PetCo.  About
the ferrets in the newspaper.  Even about the ferrets who don't make it
out to the 'public circulation', but just get shoved in a dark corner
or set 'free'.  Then I set myself straight and tell myself that I *do*
do all that I can.  And I guess that since I don't have any superhuman
strengths, in the long run, doing what I can do and not just sitting
back watching the world go by is what matters.  I try to tell myself
that anyway.
 
Meanwhile, I look at the new cage full of boys in the house and remind
myself of how 'lucky' we all are.
 
~Tammy - a.k.a. Kesrael
 
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wonder are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be the blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."
 
"May it be you journey on
To light the day;
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun"
[Posted in FML issue 5132]