The question was asked (Hi, Kym!) how to know that the donations to the
Morris Animal Foundation actually go to the shedding study.  To reduce staff
costs so that the maximum amounts of money go to help animals the Foundation
has a policy that if an amount is below a certain level it will go to the
general fund.  Think it's something like 25 or 50 dollars but don't recall
off-hand.  (If it is not a busy time of year then the policy is not always
followed and the moneys are specifically directed.) The general fund is used
for any studies deemed ESSENTIAL.  GUESS WHAT?  THE FERRET SHEDDING STUDIES
HAVE BEEN DEEMED ESSENTIAL!!!  That means that the studies' funding have
also been helped by llama owners, horse owners, cat owners, and dog owners
-- ALL of whom give more the MAF than ferret owners ever have so far,
because of a number of them have given to the general fund.
 
Steve and I have been reasonable donors to these studies for years, though
last year our high veterinary costs for Ruffle and Meltdown made it
impossible to give as much as we would have liked to give.  We aren't rich --
far from it -- and we live very modestly, but we know how very important
these studies are and how many ferrets' lives they will save.  We have been
consistently pleased with MAF.  (BTW, when Meltie passed away that really
upset several folks not here including Chere's vets, and Bill Gruber's, and
some of the sweet ladies at MAF, all of whom had been following Meltdown's
care and loved her fighting spirit, and all of whom sent sympathy cards).
If you want to reach MAF with a donation they are:
 
Morris Animal Foundation
45 Inverness Drive East
Englewood, CO 80112-5480
FAX:  1-303-790-4066
phone for questions: 1-303-790-2345
phone for credit card donations:  1-800-243-2345
 
You can request (or with a medium to large donation require) that your
monies go to the ferret rabies shedding study series, or to ferret health
studies if you prefer.  In the beginning I recall there were so few folks
giving to help ferrets that it took us over two years of donations to fund
one of the cancer (?  -- if memory serves) studies.
 
Please, realize that they do NOT have spare time or spare cash; this charity
is run very, very carefully to make sure that as much of the funds received
go to the animals and little as possible to running the foundation.  That's
why they have managed through the years to do as much good as they do.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 1961]