I read with interest the posting about people begging for money for
their cause.

I too have cautioned people starting up rescues not to rely on
donations and running raffles, etc. That that cannot be the main source
of income - people get tired of buying stuff they don't need and/or
donating when they have their own to support. To have an emergency
is one thing, to run your shelter, that is totally another thing. A
rescue has to be self sufficient to survive the long haul.

How to do this is to organize and have many helpers, to sell cages,
food and litter, to have decent adoption fees, to apply for grants, to
do local garage sales, bake sales, ed tables selling your wares at pet
stores (both Petco and Petsmart encourage rescues to do this), to have
programs on your websites to support certain ferrets or make donations.
AND keep books, accountings of what comes in and what goes out so that
you can prove up what the money is spent for - just in case someone
wants to check - if they are donating to your cause they have a right
to know. And don't think that by paying a vet direct is the answer on
your donation, as that only frees up money that would other wise go to
the vet to be used on other stuff you would not want to contribute to.

I may be speaking out of turn here but if I am going to donate, I send
to SOS and ask it be designated to the one asking. I have all the
confidence in the world they will check out that party/organization to
prove they are legit in their request. I don't suppose it was set up
for that purpose, but was to get contributions and have companies who
will match it to bring in the most money for the shelters. But they
check it out. I have been contacted at times with inquiries as to my
knowledge of a rescue and what they are doing.......thus showing they
do it right, whether a rescue is legit or not before they contribute
to them.

So, therefore, my suggestion is to those who want their money to count,
want to give and know it is going for what is being asked, to use SOS.
They have proved themselves to me all these years over and over and
over

Millie and her Danes at the
Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue
www.txferretrescue.org 

[Posted in FML 7381]