Hi Everyone,
 
I have to tell you this story, because I feel it's a real good example of
what shelters deal with, and why you should think twice about making a
rude post towards someone on any mailing list.  Too much time is wasted
stating opinions on situations that you weren't there on.  Instead, that
energy could be used towards writing up some useful info on ferret care,
and letting a shelter pass that out to ferret seekers, or something
like it.
 
Here's what happened... Last week I officially closed the shelter here in
Reno.  It is still open to CA confiscated ferrets and real emergencies,
otherwise the doors are closed.
 
After two and a half years of rescue, enough is enough, and I'm tired.
Also, we're selling my house, what once used to be the shelter.  Now, I
have to have this house ready to show by tuesday.  Can you imagine how
much work it is to convert a ferret shelter back into a home?  And the
clean up that goes along with it?
 
So I'm working away and I get a phone call from someone who found a
ferret.  I kindly direct them to Reno Animal Services (RAS), and
explained I couldn't take anymore ferrets in.
 
She got quite snooty, and told me that I am going to pick up this ferret
and right now.  I again explained that I could not, and to call RAS.  She
then said "Fine, I'll just let the ferret outside".
 
Now, I have dealt with people being rude towards me since the day I
opened the shelter.  I have bit my tongue more times than you could
imagine.  I have listened to people tell me what to do and I did it for
the sake of the ferret.  I have put up with drug addicts, princesses,
selfish people and thanfully met the occasional few who actually care.
I have held my anger in so many times that I'm surprised I hadn't blown
up before this.
 
I am tired of people threatening the life of an animal in order to try
to control my actions.  Why someone would think that I would allow blame
like that to fall on me, I don't know, but people seem to think it works.
Well, not this time, I was not about to pick up this ferret because this
lady told me to, and I was not going to allow her threat to let a ferret
ouside to be put on me, and all the frustrations of the last two and a
half years have finally been enough, and I started to go off, "well, if
you want to be a bitch about it then fine, but I'm sick and tired of
people like you who..." and then I heard a click.
 
Now, go ahead and write me and tell me what a terrible person I am for
handling the situation the way I did, but before you do, here's some
facts you don't know.
 
I have ECE, got it with the last ferret that came in, a nasty strand of
it too.  Had 15 ferrets on pepto/flagyl/carafate, had 6 ferrets I had to
force feed.  Any ferret I dared bring in at the time of that phone call
would have been a serious risk to the ferret, that's not called rescue.
 
And, coincidentally, a ferret showed up at RAS the next day, which makes
me think it's the same ferret, and the rude lady did take it there after
all.
 
If it's not the same ferret and the lady did let it outside, then that's
not on me.  How in the world would that be my fault?  Because I used to
be a rescue and I happened to answer the phone?
 
Just because you have a kind and gentle soul out there, who happens to
give up everything in their life to rescue ferrets, (and yes they do, I
know I did, I had no choice but to give everything up), doesn't mean that
they are responsible for the condition ferrets are brought in.  They are
also not responsible for the ferrets that don't make it.
 
People have been treating me like it's my sole responsibility to save
every ferret that crosses my path, because it's my job according to them.
I guess they forgot this is all volunteer, and it's not my job, and now
there's isn't a no-kill shelter in Reno.
 
October
www.renoferrets.org
[Posted in FML issue 4925]