Debbie said"
>I've heard some weird reasons people get turned down and I myself just
>don't understand it.
>Things like:
>you have too many already
>No transportation
>You don't have enough knowledge
>Your too young
>shelter worried about a persons income
>the knowledge you have is not correct
>personality clashes"
 
Not being a shelter mom, but having been involved in more than a few ferret
adoptions/rescues in the past couple of years I have a small taste of what
it feels like to arrange for the rehoming of a ferret.  Honestly, I don't
know how full time shelter operators do it, because it's a heartbreaking
and gut wrenching thing to go through.  You have to be made of some pretty
tough stuff, and have a heart of gold to deal with this day in and day out.
You are responsible for making sure that a needy (and often mishandled)
animal finds a hopefully permanent and loving home with a competent care
taker.  That is no small burden.  Please consider that when wondering why a
shelter just doesn't adopt a ferret to the first person who walks through
the door.
 
-you have too many already
A ferret who is in transition to a new home needs a lot of one on one time,
and personal attention in order to adjust.  Homes where there are already
say, a dozen ferrets, may not be the best place for some shelter ferrets
who need more peace and quiet, or more one on one care than might be
available in that situation.  Not to mention that some ferrets just don't
get along with other ferrets, and need a situation where they can be the
sole object of attention.
 
-No transportation
This depends on the situation, but if you have no way to go out in an
emergency to get your ferret to a vet, or to get supplies for their care
and feeding, it's not the best situation to be in.  If you live in a city
with very good public transport (like a subway) or something, not having a
car may not matter, but if you live in the middle of nowhere what would you
do?  This doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to adopt a ferret, but it's
certainly something reasonable to ask about.
 
-You don't have enough knowledge
Almost all the shelters I know of, require prospective adopters to read at
least one, up to date ferret guide and or the Ferret Central FAQs.  The
reason ferrets are IN shelters a good deal of the time is because the
owners didn't know what they were getting into, or what to expect from a
ferret when they got it in the first place.
 
-Your (sic) too young
Some shelters won't even adopt to people who have children, much less to a
child.  I don't necessarily agree with this policy, children can be
responsible with pets.  However, adults know that the responsibility of a
pet is one of those things that is a learning lesson for a child, and not
something that should be taken lightly.  As for teenagers, considering the
life span of a ferret, the thought that a teenager may be going off to
school or to whatever while the ferret is still part of their lives, has
to be considered.  A parent should still be advised that the ultimate
responsibility of the pet may likely fall on them, and if the parent is
reluctant then it's a less than desirable situation.
 
-shelter worried about a persons income
This has been discussed here ad nauseum, and while it's true that you don't
have to be wealthy to give a pet a good life, being financially able to
care for a pet you are adopting in order to feed it and give it proper
medical attention needs to be considered.  If the person already has five
ferrets, can they afford to care for number six?
 
-the knowledge you have is not correct
Most shelters will go out of their way to educate prospective ferret
owners, especially if they have incorrect pre-conceptions about what a
ferret is like.  Some people, however do insist that their way is the
best way, and that no one knows better than they do.  If a person doesn't
conform to your standards of acceptable care for a ferret, you are NOT
obligated to adopt to them.
 
-personality clashes
Personally, I believe in instinct and gut reactions.  If potential adopter
tells me that they have the best of intentions, and know what they're doing
and meet all the criteria, and something nagging at me says they aren't a
good choice, it's my prerogative to say no.  Again, you're sending an
animal that you have loved and cared for out with someone that is virtually
a stranger to you.  That animal's future is in your hands.  If you
personally have problems with someone, how are you going to feel good about
sending a vulnerable animal off with them?  It may or may not be the fair
way to pick someone, but again, that is the shelter operator's right.
 
The hope is when someone adopts a ferret, that they are going to a loving
and permanent home.  The only way to ensure that to the best of your
ability is to screen applicants in whatever way you see fit.  You wouldn't
just send your ferrets off to stay with someone when you didn't know if
they had any idea what to do, if they would take the best care of them, or
if they weren't someone you felt personally comfortable with, would you?
Why then should a shelter operator send an animal already in transition,
off into an unknown situation?  These kinds of questions and criteria are
there to help the ferrets have better lives, and I can't find any fault
with that.
 
Robynn and the Four Ferrets of the Apocalypse
[Posted in FML issue 2853]