I hope you were not offended by my opinion.  I will begin by saying that I
know nothing of these people other than that of the situation you presented.
I have, & will continue to responded based on my own experiences of taking
in unwanted pets.
 
>The mother offered to pay the cash fee and the shelter owner thought the
>babysitting was more appropriate and would not accept the money.
 
The shelter was obviously more concerned about the responsibility the child
was willing to demonstrate towards the long-term care of her ward than the
$.  We do what we do for no other reason than the welfare of these unwanted
creatures.  Shelter work is a 2nd full time job - most of us have real jobs
too.  Most of the expenses are paid out of our own pockets.  We spend many
sleepless nights caring for neglected & abused, sick & dying ferrets.  We
transport, do laundry, clean cages, create & distribute information, & do
seminars.  We spend countless hours on the phone w/people needing veterinary
referrals, personality information, & training advice as well as those who
have become bored w/their pets & now want someone else to take
responsibility because they want to *get rid of them.*  We work
w/unsocialized (biting) ferrets & become the permanent home for the old, the
sick & the unsocialized.
 
We work w/& keep in constant contact w/animal control agencies & humane
societies so that everyone can enjoy the *priviledge* of owning ferrets as
pets.
 
Until you take on this burden yourself, you cannot begin to understand
what's involved.  I don't think it too much to ask that a little
responsibility be shown.  In our society, if you find the guidelines of the
shelter unacceptable, you're not obligated to take in a homeless pet, you
can buy one from one of the pet stores that probably created the need for
shelters.
 
>The money was the daughter's allowance that she had already earned and saved
 
Originally you said...
*Needless to say the mother didn't feel this was appropriate and ended up
taking the daughter to a pet store and paying over $300 for a ferret, cage
and supplies.  (The ferret and family are doing well.) It wasn't an issue of
money, my friend was willing to pay the adoption fee for her daughter.*
 
I was under the impression the daughter was under no obligation for her
intended pet...which was the final outcome.  & you're absolutely right, it
wasn't an issue of money as far as the shelter mom was concerned.
 
>Also, I spoke to the mother and daughter about the matter and don't feel it
is necessary to confirm the matter with the shelter owner.
 
We all own the responsibility for drawing our own conclusions & making our
own decisions.  Have you ever had a friend come to you & tell you that so&so
said you said...& you thought to yourself, *I never said that.*  Don't you
agree that even someone you don't know is entitled to present their side of
the story - especially when there's been a difference of opinion.  Even the
courts don't recognize 2nd-hand information.
 
>You may feel what the shelter owner did was correct, but if you had a
>daughter would you allow her to babysit for someone you didn't know
>anything about except that they ran a ferret shelter?
 
Not exactly.  But I would the way I did when I was young, & my mother would
go to the the house & meet the person, find out exactly when I was to be
home, & keep the phone # for emergencies.  I guess I would.
 
Personally, I think the shelter mom should have asked her to clean cages for
3 weeks.  Then she would have had a real understanding of what was expected
of her.  Working in a shelter you get to see the sad reality of abandoned,
neglected & abused pets, & just sometimes it leaves a lasting impression.
 
Dedicated to all the shelter families & all the nameless creatures they've
had die in their arms.
 
My opinions are my own & not necessarily those of the GDFA.
 
Juliana
Frodo, Rocks, Anola Gay, SNAFU, FUBAR, Tabu, Chaos & Tuxedo
[Posted in FML issue 1822]