I rec'd the shelter list the other day, and as I periodically do, I added
up the number of ferrets in shelters.  It came to 2,174 give or take a few
keying mistakes.  Two thousand one hundred and seventy four ferrets in
shelters.  I don't know whether to be relieved that these ferrets have at
least found temporary care and love instead of neglect or indifference, or
to be mad that so many have so easily been discarded.  Truthfully I feel
both.  Certainly compared to the number of dogs and cats in shelters the
number is small, and yes its spread out over a vast area but then again
ferrets aren't as popular as dogs or cats.
 
I look at our own listing and remember that I didn't have the time to send
in an updated report and that our numbers are double what is reported on
the list.  I wonder how many others like us were too busy as well.  I
wonder how many more are in shelters we don't know about or living under
conditions we try not to think about.  I look around at the 30 plus ferrets
under our care and I realize that some of them have been here for close to
a year.  The single ferrets and the young ones get adopted fairly quickly.
The pairs are harder to place and we're reluctant to break them up.  They
are arriving faster than we can adopt them out.
 
I really don't know where I'm going with this other than to get if off my
chest.  I guess I should stop adding up the numbers, its far too depressing.
 
Barbara Gustafson
Alberta Ferret Society
[Posted in FML issue 2778]