>From:    zen and the art of ferrets - bill and diane <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: charging to find new homes...
>Only comment is that a reason to seek compensation is the same one used by
>shelters to justify charging for adoptees.
 
This is a subject that has me scratching my head.  I understand shelters
charging adoption fees to new owners, but I've also heard of shelters buying
"rescue" ferrets.  If the ferret is sold for money, how can it be a
"rescue?" And if the shelter is in the business of buying and selling
ferrets, then is it really a shelter, or is it a ferret broker?  That's the
reason I declined to participate in the Fredonia rescue--I felt that if the
ferrets were being rescued that they should be surrendured by or confiscated
from the owner, not bought.
 
I'm not trying to pick on you shelter operators who are doing a wonderful
service at all, but what proportion of rescues are actually "purchases?"
 
I also have kind of a hangup about adoption "fees" because the one time I
was at the local humane society, I noticed that the "adoption fee" was the
difference between the cost of spaying or neutering (if necessary) and $75
and I thought that was pretty unscrupulous of them.  (ie, if no spay or
neuter was necessary, the "fee" was $75, and if it was, the "fee" was around
$25).
 
-Catherine
[Posted in FML issue 1800]