Hi All:

This is a first for me, but it was something I was compelled to do.

A few wks ago, I received a call for help from a family who had a sick
ferret. Long tragic story short, this ferret had distemper, & died.
They'd gotten this ferret, a 1 yr old female they named Flower, from
a humane soc employee in Lima OH. She also sold them another, older
ferret, who did not originally come from the same home. Both were
turned over to the humane soc at roughly the same time, this lady took
them home & had them for about a wk before selling them to this family.
They only had these 2 ferrets for a few wks when Flower got sick very
suddenly & died.

The other ferret, Thumper, is fine. Perhaps *his* original owners got
him the required shots. They also have a cat & a rat.

All the pets need to see a vet, for exams, booster shots, etc. Problem
is, both the parents were laid off work, & they're living on about
$70/wk - for the 2 of them, their son, & the 3 pets.

They are a very conscientious family when it comes to their pets, &
it is only though their misfortune, due to circumstances out of their
control, that they are in this situation. I offered to help them out.

To this end, I'm holding a raffle to raise money for them to get
the veterinary care they need. I've never done this before, but I'm
confident we can raise the money to cover the vet's bills. I've already
set up an account at the vet's office for them. The required medical
treatment - exam & all boosters for the ferret, exam & all bosters,
plus feline leukemia testing for the cat, & a wellness exam for the
rat, are estimated to come to about $230 - $240 (& that's a high
estimate, taking into account that they may want to put the ferret
on antibiotics, cos of his exposure to distemper).

Considering also that, what w/ the economy & all, something like this
could happen to *any* of us, I plan to also set up an on-going fund
at the vet's office, to help out *anyone* in the future who needs
assistance w/ medical bills for veterinary emergencies. I've named this
endeavor after my first ferret, my baby, my love - The Ariel Fund.

Up for raffle will be 5 items:

- a set of bedding, using Halloween-themed materials (made by Staci
  Sharp)

- a set of bedding, in a light blue sky type pj flannel lined w/
  imitation sherpa (made by me - I've never raffled my stuff off
  before, I usually just make it for my own use)

- a personalized pet portrait (courtesy of Jen Johnson)

- a tiny crocheted ferret, complete w/ his own sleepy sack, toy
  mouse, & ball

- a crocheted towel hanger, in the shape of a ferret

The raffle takes place now through 20 October. You can find all the
details here:

http://www.squidoo.com/TheArielFund

Please, please look it over, & consider buying some tickets to help
this family, as well as others in need. 100% of the proceeds will be
put in an account w/ the Animal Hospital of Tiffin, Tiffin Ohio, to
help as many people as possible after we help this one family.

Thank you, & please feel free to cross-post this wherever you want to!

Lin, Max, Puck, & Ivan, & the Fugitives - Madison & Mason
~ Missing my angel Ariel - 20 April 2000 - 20 January 2007. Wait for
me, my Baby Girl. I miss you so much. ~
~ Missing my Oberon - 4 July 2001 - 5 May 2008 - I love you, my Big
Silly Boy. Wait for me. ~

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email me at: kay tee en eye el at double-u owe aich dot ar ar dot
see owe em
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[Posted in FML 6117]