Harry, good additions to the ones which are already in the FML Archives!
Did you also know that Betty White is very (very, very) active in the
Morris Animal Foundation?  MAF has put a lot of money through the years
into research to help improve the health knowledge base and medical care
of ferrets.  Of course, what is given depends on what comes in so it
can't have been as large in recent years since the two largest private
family contributors I know about fell on harder times and became unable
to give in the 4 or 5 figures each year, some years just plain unable to
give.
 
The Morris Animal Foundation has done a lot to help both domestic ferrets
and BFFs through the years both from contributions to help improve the
medical care of ferrets and from the general fund there, and even if the
way they clump the groups for administrative divisions has not always
been the best their help is indisputable.  Also, none of the money
donated goes to administration.  100% goes to the animal type mentioned
or to the general fund if none is mentioned or the contribution is small.
The reason no money contributed goes to anything except the animal work
itself is because the MAF was begun by the vet who first developed
special dietary approaches for dogs when he devised a kidney diet for a
Seeing Eye dog.  At first his wife would make it, then demand increased,
and finally his medical diet stuff was bought by a manufacturer with the
moneys going -- by the choice of the vet and his wife -- to begin and
administer the MAF.
 
You can read more about the MAF here:
http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/home.asp
and here is the contact information:
Morris Animal Foundation
  45 Inverness Drive East
  Englewood, CO 80112
  phone: (800) 243-2345
  local: (303) 790-2345
  fax: (303)790-4066
 
Medical Advances tend to need contributions to continue, and MAF's donors
have helped ferrets with both contributions to help ferrets and with
contributions to the general fund which has been partially used to help
ferrets as well as helping other animal.
 
BTW, Betty White is helping another mustelid right now -- an otter
species -- by entirely funding a study of them to help preserve them
and their health.
 
Before circumstances around here became so difficult we used to provide
the MAF with some labor as well as donations, but the last few years have
really been a haul for our family.  Anyone here who choses to become
involved with the Morris Animal Foundation does so with my blessing
because it is great group of people who have helped a huge number of
animals, including our pet ferrets, and continues to do so.
[Posted in FML issue 4846]