I'd like to express my concern over some of the attitudes about money that
come across on the FML sometimes.  I'm the person who started the coupon
program for the shelters and who posts the monthly update from some of the
shelters, plus I will be working with Ela Heyn and Georgia Wood to produce
the Ferret Coloring Books to support the shelters.  In the course of these
efforts, I have learned a lot about the shelters and have become the eternal
fan of most of the people who do shelter work.
 
Two things concern me.  One is that so few people support the shelters.
Very few donations of supplies or money have resulted from the monthly
updates.  These shelters need support, and even a couple dollars are very
welcome.  You don't have to be wealthy to give.  In fact, I think it is
often the people who have the least who find it the easiest to give.
 
The other is that some people still seem to misread the figures posted in
the updates.  I have decided to discontinue posting the income and expenses,
because people who do not post an update have been bad-mouthing shelters
which do post.  People have said, based on the updates, that some shelters
are wealthy and rolling in donations, when in fact they are under financial
stress in spite of active fund-raising and careful management of resources.
I never wanted the monthly update to hurt the shelters which post there, and
I am distressed to learn that some shelters actually feel competitive
towards other shelters.
 
I've just read the posts concerning rescues which have appeared over the
past few days.  Rose Smith, Michelle, Penny Elliot and Lisa Leidig did a
persuasive job of answering the questions about money and shelters.  I'd
like to repeat the point that a "rescue" exists in the mind of the
ferret-lover, not the person who originally owned the ferret.  Many ferrets
can be rescued from neglectful or abusive situations only by paying the
owner for the ferret.  If a ferret is living in filth and is never let out
of its cage, I call it rescuing the ferret even if a person has to pay over
$100 to get the ferret out of the bad situation.  It is rarely possible to
confiscate a ferret without the help of the authorities, and if we all
waited for them, more ferrets would live in misery until they died.
 
People need to find a balance between believing that everyone is trying to
rip them off and trusting everyone blindly.  Please remember that you,
individually, could make a real difference in helping needy ferrets.  Not
needy shelter owners, though they can become needy through helping so many
ferrets, but the ferrets for whom they care.  It is sad when a shelter has
to cut back on its services or refuse a ferret because there is no room at
the inn, as it were.
 
Please read the next shelter update and consider sending a gift to someone
on the list.
 
Blessings
Judith White and the Fur Posse
 
The Book does not say that money is the root of all evil.
Money can be used to do great good in this life.
It is the *love* of money which is the root of all evil.
May you never profit at the expense of your fellow creatures.
[Posted in FML issue 1803]