Bravo Christine.  I've been trying to say the same thing you've written
but certainly not as well put.
 
As a shelter for several years and having volunteered at a very large
shelter, I've seen some horrid cases of abuse and neglect.  There hasn't
been one that did not respond to love and good care.  Despite also
feeling no one else can love the ferrets or give them the care I do, I
know that's not true.  I can't possibly give the one on one attention
these little guys love.  Sometimes it may take a month or more to turn a
little one around, sometimes it's round the clock feedings/nursing but
they become trusting/happy little critters again.
 
I've had the pleasure of staying in touch with and frequently seeing kids
I've adopted out.  It's a wonderful feeling to "save" one, see them
respond, see them happy and dancing again.  To see them in their own home
and how they continue to thrive....well, there's just no words for the
rush of joy and the ache of missing them.
 
I don't agree with someone who previously posted that "sanctuary" means a
permanent place.  If you do a search for sanctuaries, you'll find almost
all that do not adopt out are wildlife sanctuaries.  All domestic pet
sanctuaries I've seen do adopt out.  Whether someone is called a shelter
or sanctuary, ferrets are domestic pets/companion animals that don't need
sanctuary.  They need their own home/family.
 
All shelters see tragic cases, all the time.  Most of us don't dramatize
each and every case, we just tend to their needs.  The primary goal
should be to get them rehabbed if needed and into their own home.
There's certainly no reason not to adopt out a young, healthy ferret!
Why should he or she be condemned to live their life as part of a large
group?  Just not fair to them.  Several of us took in large numbers of
the Utah kids.  They certainly qualify as being abused and neglected.
All have responded to tlc and with a few exceptions of ill ones, all
have gone on to their forever homes and are thriving and so happy.
 
The most abused and neglected little ones are even more in need of their
forever home where they have personal attention all the time.  There's
no way, even with volunteers, to give that attention to 50 - 60 ferrets.
There's an incredible amount of work involved in caring for that many.
Litter pans to clean, water bottles and food bowls to fill, feedings,
medications, bedding to change, poop to clean up, constant laundry,
constant dishes to wash, vet trips, phone calls to answer, emails to
answer, questions on ferret care to respond to, education, paper work to
fill out.  It's never ending.  I haven't analyzed my reasons for being a
shelter other than knowing I love these little guys dearly and will do
anything for them, including letting them go on to their own home.
 
It's such a shame that someone who has the ability to rescue, love,
provide the care and needs of some of these kids doesn't understand how
much more she could do by letting the ones go who are able and keeping
her doors open for the next needy one.
 
Jackie
http://www.dooknook.org
http://www.cafeshops.com/dooknook
[Posted in FML issue 4040]