Hi,
I just wanted to reply to Ms. Drakiotes (Sorry if I got the Ms wrong, I can
never remember the proper address if you are not sure.... :))  As shelters
you all do have to be careful with whom you give ferrets to, but you also
have to be willing to trust people.  To show you what I mean, I live in
Maryland and there is a Shelter near where I live that is VERY strict about
who they will adopt their ferrets out too.  In fact, they are known more for
NOT adopting their ferrets.  If when I was looking at getting my ferrets I
had gone to them first, I would have done what the man you are writing to
had done and bought one from a pet store.  This is because they wouldn't
have even talked to me once they found out that I have a four year old in my
house.  Not to mention the fact that we have a lazy boy (sorta its a kids
version).  Luckily I ran into 2 great shelters who had owners that talked to
me rather than turned away from me.  They took the time to find out that I
had spent countless hours visiting pages and reading about ferrets.  They
then spent hours talking to me about them and the dangers involved.  They
made sure I understood what was involved and made sure I just wasn't
"Impulse" shopping.  Personally, they made me feel very comfortable, because
I knew they cared about the ferrets, but they also made me feel like they
trusted me.  Again, like yourself, I am not trying to upset you or flame
anyone.  It just that as a shelter runner, you all should educate potential
adopters not grill them.  If someone feels that you are prying, they will
just go to the pet store and get a ferret there, and if they are a "Bad"
person to have a ferret then you will just end up with one more ferret in
the shelter system, or have a "Good" person with ferrets out there that is
soured on shelters.
 
As I said, Shelters are GREAT places to get a ferret (to all potential
ferret getters), Cindy, Tom & Jerry are the best!  A little (well alot)
crazy sometimes, well all the time.  And if you are in the Pennsylvania area
Frank Wylkes (up in Gettysburg) is awesome!  She has LOTS of knowledge and
can help you out alot!  Sorry for such a LONG speech, I hope I didn't step
on any toes.  I just feel that telling people NO, is just going to make the
situtation worse, Educating them is not hard to do, and if they are right
for ferrets, they will likely come to the conclusion themselves.
 
Mike Roth
Cindy, Tom & Jerry
[Posted in FML issue 2144]