I began adopting ferrets from the Giving Tree the first year I was a
ferret mom and it has become a tradition which I get a lot out of but
have also been disappointed.
 
Two years in a row I adopted ferrets that were not from US shelters.
First year, mailed my packages in plenty of time and a few days before
Christmas I contacted the shelter mom to see if it had arrived.  Delivery
conformation if wonderful but it doesn't work once the package leaves the
US borders.  It all went something like this, shelter mom didn't have
time to get to the post office to pick up the package, then when she got
the time to go, she realized she didn't have the key, then she couldn't
remember who she gave the key to, finally remembered who she gave the
key to and contacted that person, well uh uh, they didn't have the key
anymore either, darn, will have to try to remember who that person gave
the key to.  To make a long story short, it was about a week after
Christmas before our adoptees got their packages.
 
Following year, mailed off my packages even earlier to hope this would
not happen, that year we gave to a different shelter than the year
before.  This time my package arrived in the country within plenty of
time but the person chastised me because when I mailed it and had to fill
out the customs form, when asked what the contents were of the package,
I filled in the contents and gave an amount where it asks for an amount.
The person was very upset with me because she had to pay duty fees on it.
 
I am sorry and I don't mean to offend anyone but we are US citizens, this
is a program sponsored by US ferret owners, other than US shelters are
more than welcome to participate but unfortunately we are familiar with
OUR postal customs and not yours so if it needs to be done a certain way,
that information should be made aware ahead of time.
 
Not all of us are wonder woman and can just shove things in a box and
mail it off and not need to hear something back.  It is great if you are,
but I and apparently many many others aren't, they are just like me and
need to hear back.  If you have the time to list your ferrets on the
Giving Tree and all the time it would take getting a picture of them,
telling their story and listing their wants and needs, at least commit
that same effort in following up and thanking the person who gave so
those ferrets would have something for Christmas.
 
[PP]
[Posted in FML issue 5093]