katharine <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 >This is so sad to me. I have never understood how someone can think that
 >an animal can get the attention it needs and craves by being one of 40 or
 >50 or more. I understand the need to be very careful with "special
 >needs" animals but to totally close your mind to adoption is doing a
 >disservice to them,
...
 >Some of the more successful shelters will tell you
 >that there is no such thing as an unadoptable ferret. It just requires
 >a little more work to make the right match.
 
I don't think you understand AT ALL what that "little more work" entails.
And unless/until you do, you have no right to toss stones at a
sanctuary.  All non-profit organizations must state our mission, purpose
and by-laws in order to achieve 501(c)(3) status. And, in order to retain
our non-profit status, the IRS expects us to adhere to what we stated we
were going to do. Being a sanctuary is what this organization choose to do
to help ferrets.
 
Adoption means:
Dealing with a lot of people; who lie to you; who ignore the contract they
signed with you; who promise they'd never move to a place where they can't
have their ferrets and then do; who swear that even if their kids loose
interest that they want the ferrets and then return them; who say they'll
furnish veterinary care to their ferrets and then don't; who agree to
provide their ferrets with a good diet and then when they return them they
come back eating Friskies; etc; etc; etc...is extremely time consuming! Is
extremely frustrating! And sometimes requires going to court to enforce the
contract! It means, to most people that they have to keep their houses
clean, the toilet scrubbed and the medicine chest cleaned, because people
you don't know will be snooping into your private business every time you
let a potential adoptor into your home. Then there's the business of
fostering. You have the "perfect" foster home, the person is caring,
smiling, loves ferrets. She signs the fostering agreement. Then you
suddenly see a post from her on the FML trying to find a home for OUR ferret!
 
Sanctuary means:
Spending time with the ferrets who love you no matter what. Who give you
joy when they play. Who make you laugh when you're down.  In addition to
being part of a mission statement, dealing with ferrets is a much more
pleasant, less stressful way to spend the day than dealing with many
people. (Running a sanctuary would probably eliminate my need to be on high
blood pressure medication.)
 
I don't know anything about the sanctuary being discussed, but I run a very
"successful" adoption/shelter. Until you walk in the shoes of an adoption
shelter, don't tell anyone that it will only take "a little more work" to
place a ferret into a home. It takes a LOT of work to place one ferret.
 
Sandi
 
Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House
a non-profit animal shelter
14325 Lake City Way NE
Seattle, WA 98125
(206)365-9105
Open 7 days/week or visit our on-line store at:
http://www.rabbitrodentferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 4034]