Ok, this has been an ongoing issue for awhile now. I wanted to put a few
things out in the open, so that others can learn also by this. Other
shelters who may or may not be wanting to apply for this tax break.
Here is my situation and why I have not done it up until this point.
The point is pretty mute now, because I don't anticipate staying in
sheltering at this time. There are many reasons why I can not, one is
the vet issue and needing the money upfront before a surgery. I don't
see being able to do that. I can't or should I say my heart can't turn
away a sick ferret (even though I was told to do that). It is just not
in me. And if I get too many who need surgery, coming up with $1000's
is not happening. I also will not take in a ferret and compromise their
health by taking them to a cheaper/less qualified vet. Second, my oldest
son is off to college next year, which means I will need to do "Family
Fundraising". We also have a roof to fix, rising gas prices and an oil
bill to pay off and get money together for the next heating season. I
can't spend "our" extra money on the shelter anymore. This means I will
have to get a full time job. My other son is done with homeschooling and
will go back into public school next year. So that will be a huge help
with freeing up time. By working, this would not allow me the time to
care for the ferrets the way I think they should be cared for. I will
however remain active in the ferret community, and hopefully team up with
another shelter for fundraising. I love doing it and I know some shelter
would like to have me.
With that said, We live in a very small town in Pa. We have a Petco,
Pet Supply Plus and this year finally got a Petsmart. That is about it
folks. The Petco use to give me some of the proceeds from their Spring a
Pet. This money was run through the SOS, because everyone knows we are
not 501c(3). Now, the Petco was taken over by a person who is hooked
up with a Cat Rescue. That is the only person who is now allowed into
the store for anything, the manager basically banned all other groups.
So I will no longer be getting anything from them or being able to do
fundraisers there.
I am allow to go to Pet Supplies Plus which is near my home also, but
only bake sales and information stuff. But lets face it, how much does
one make off a couple of brownies and cupcakes! They don't do large
scale fundraisers so to speak. And the owner gives alot to the Animal
Rescue League.
Now with Petsmart, our area also has an Animal Rescue League, Humane
Society, Greyhound Rescue, 2 large scale cat rescues (lots of farm
land-they are NEEDED), and of course little old me. The money that
Petsmart raises has to be divided between all of us, leaving only a
small little chunk if anything for me. So that small chunk, I would run
through the SOS. My sister took her bar exam and is becoming a lawyer.
So the issue of the paperwork/attorney fees can easily be done for free.
That is as of this year. But, she looked over the paperwork, we weighed
the benefits and the cons and the Cons right now outweigh the benefits.
I would, like I said, have to write bylaws which are not really true.
I don't have time to devote to a "club" or "organization." I care for
these ferrets in my home, they take up about 2 hours a day with JUST
cleaning them and loving on them. I also have 4 children who do require
a mother. So to have to take more time to do "club" things is not in the
time frame of my day/weeks. I have many super friends who would put
their names on paper, but again, that is really not telling the truth. I
am fabricating something, to gain a 501c(3) status, which is suppose to
give people a piece of mind as to where there money is going. But yet, I
am lying on the application. I honestly don't live my life that way, and
for a tax break it is not worth compromising my principles. Also any
donations I do get do not add up to 1/3 (I think that is the amount) of
the total amount of what it cost to run the shelter. So there are many
areas of the application I don't fit into.
I also know how I want the shelter run, I have my own standards, which
are high. So when you start to add to many hands to the pot, the pot
does not always get stirred because one hand thought the other one did
it. I have seen this happen.
I hope everyone understands where I am coming from. If anyone has
something to add, please email me directly......maybe I am missing a
whole huge pot of gold out there, and I should really rethink this
should I get back into it. But people I have talked to who have it,
agree with me. I would jump on the pot of gold, believe you me. And
I would probably split it among other shelters!
Marguerite
http://www.tinyprintsontheheart.com/shelterraffle.htm
Know Where your Donation is Going....
http://www.tinyprintsontheheart.com/proof.htm
TinyPrints Ferret Rescue PetFinder Web Page
http://www.tinyprintsontheheart.petfinder.org
Aloha Ferrets Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Aloha-Ferrets-Store
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZtinyprintsferretrescue
[Posted in FML issue 5220]
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