In New York state the licensing organization for both ferrets and wildlife
rehab has changed some of its requirements for rehabbers who do rabies
vector species.
 
To comply, we now have our ferret shelter seperate both physically (as
usual) but also now in all our records and paperwork.  In doing so, we now
have a name for our ferret shelter that is distinctly different from our
wildlife rehab shelter.  The new name for our ferret shelter is "Home Again
Ferret Shelter.  We have not changed any of the care we offer nor our
policies.
 
We cater to the State University ferretss in our area and also network with
other wildlife rehabbers to care for ferrets which enter our system through
other wildlife rehabbers, where they are turned in mistakenly for wild
animals when found in the woods.
 
For all intents and purposes we are a "no kill" shelter and offer the same
care and services that we give to orphaned sick or injured wildlife with the
addition, of course, of adoptive services.  Ferrets with a history of many
different homes who are now adults and need of a permanent placement, may
become our house ferrets and are assured of a permanent home as our pets
with no further placement attempts.  As we support our wildlife rescue
ourselves with out reqyired donations, we also fund the ferret rescue and do
not solicit contributions.  We hope we may remain this way in the future.
We do not charge an adoption fee, but do require the ferret be returned to
us if it can not be kept.  We also require a DEC ferret license for all
adoptions.  (this is not hard to get as it merely requires filling a one
page application and a $10 filing fee.)
 
We hope that we will remain easy to find, and usful to the ferret community
under our new name.
 
   Gale Putt, Home Again Ferret Shelter, Setauket NY
[Posted in FML issue 1675]