To Regina and all others interested in White Fang,
 
I could not agree more, and please know that all of the things you mentioned
about what is "best for HER" are of the utmost importance to myself,
Kelleen, and Eydie.  There is alot more to the story of White Fang than I am
at liberty to post on the FML.  Sorry I cannot explain.  I am very glad that
you posted with your concerns, and I hope you do not take offense at what I
say here, I am not in the least upset by what you said, and am truly glad
that you are concerned and your questions may reflect those of many others
on the FML.
 
First, many may not realize that ferret shelters are not a "common" thing,
and it was quite a task to locate even one within several hundred miles of
Calgary.  (Please remember, also, that *I* am in Texas.)  Many shelters are
not tied in with the "FML network" or on Pam Grant's list, because she can
only track those she has record of, if people do not inform her they exist,
how is she to know, and how am I to find them?  My first step in helping
White Fang was to post on the FML for anyone who has any contact with
shelters, clubs, or individuals who are in that area who could help, to
contact me immediately, I CC'd Pam Grant and other known US shelters that I
am in close contact with and Pam immediately responded by sending me her
most current list of ANYONE ferret related in CANADA, other shelters offered
help, too.
 
It took THREE DAYS of phone calls to locate Monica who is just starting a
club there, she is not a shelter and cannot keep WF, but can hold her for a
while.  I know there is a shelter in Boise, Idaho and Kelleen Andrews posts
regularly on the FML so I had some idea of her philosophies on caring for
ferrets.  I knew there was a shelter in Delta (Vancouver area) but had
received no response to several days of FML posts from them, so I figured
they were full, or swamped with work, or for some other reason, not able to
help with White Fang.  (There is no e-mail address on Pam's list so I could
not e-mail them directly.)
 
I decided Kelleen was the closest and my best choice for help, so I e-mailed
her and she immediately jumped in to assist.  We concentrated on the leads
we had "in our hot little hands" so to speak rather than chasing after
"birds in the bush".  I received e-mails from individuals who had family in
Calgary and started calling them and working with them to get funds
transferred and the vet paid so she would do the surgery ASAP.  Then I found
out about Monica and there were slight changes in plans because the first
person could not take and hold WF, Monica could.  (I was trying to minimize
"shuffling" of WF from person to person after her surgery.)
 
Now Monica has her, and she is comfortable and seems happy.  We are in no
hurry to transfer her until she is recovered fully from the surgery.  We are
doing our best to take care of her needs first, though we must keep in mind
how to get her to an excellent loving home as soon as possible to get this
ordeal over for her (as it was put).  Another concern is that we were told
she has problems with other ferrets, so what does that mean?  Is it true, or
was she simply not given enough time to adjust?  Her deafness is almost
certainly a factor in her behavior.  We need to assess what we have before
we can even begin to decide what is best for her.  That is what we are doing
at this moment.
 
We have no plans to fly her back and forth across the country if we can find
a solution that would be better for her.  Please consider that this girl has
special needs and it will take a skilled (that is ferret knowledgeable)
person to assess and evaluate the home she goes into.  She cannot just go to
anyone who wants to adopt her.  Again I am trying to think of her and her
future, this has nothing to do with me or my wants.  I think a shelter that
rescues and adopts ferrets on a regular basis (and therefore sees hundreds
of them with different special needs/conerns) would be the best place for
her to start with, then decide the next step, or begin screening potential
new parents to adopt her.  You have to "match" the ferret with the owner.  I
know from much experience, that they are all different.  Adoptions are not
at all like going to the petstore and buying a ferret, at least not at MY
shelter, I think many other shelters feel as strongly as I do about this.
 
Well, time passed and Eydie and Kelleen were working hard on getting WF's
travel arranged so that she did not have to wait any longer than she had to
once she was "able to travel".  There are no direct flights from Calgary to
Boise, you have to go to Salt Lake City, Utah first, but the total travel
time is only about 3-1/2 hours.  (White Fang WILL NOT be put in a "cargo
area"..period!!)  After things were being worked out, I heard from the
shelter in Vancouver, but the wheels were already in motion and most things
were already worked out.  They kindly offered to help out and I am keeping
them updated as well.
 
Eydie is working now on arranging for WF's pick up in Boise by a devoted
animal lover who will *personally* see to her comfort in travelling to
Eydie.  This person will be going to Boise May 12 and returning a week or so
later.  WF can stay with Kelleen until they are ready to leave Boise.  I am
sure you all know that Kelleen has a great deal to cope with as it is.  She
has been most generous in offering to help us with this little one, but I
would not want to put any more burden on her than is necessary, that is why
Eydie or I would like to intervene and take WF for the "personality
assessment" phase of all this.  I think it best that she be held for 21 days
(our standard quarantine period, in the best interests of ALL the ferrets
including WF) to watch for any health problems, if she is not up to date on
vaccinations, that will be done also.  With the "right people" watching over
her, I believe she will not suffer in any way by travelling, we are speaking
of airplanes, after all, not horse and buggie.  There is still a chance she
could fly direct to D/FW airport where I can pick her up (only 1-1/2hours
away), but I do not want her on a plane by herself, under any circumstances.
 
We still have these few details to work out before a decision is made on
where she will go next.  But she is well cared for right now, running,
playing, hiding food, and letting Monica know exactly how she feels about
everything (so I am told), so there is no reason to worry about her
well-being at this moment in time.  Please keep in mind folks, that this
whole thing only began last Tuesday, with the original post telling us of
the problem.  **Alot** has been accomplished in a very short time and I am
very thankful for that.
 
I am very open to anyone's suggentions that may help us coordinate these
things regarding White Fang.  And BTW, we still need money to cover surgery
expense and transportation from the Canadian border to Boise, or someone to
fly with her if we have to fly her from Calgary to Boise.    Thanks to
everyone.....Trish
[Posted in FML issue 1547]