Hi Folks!!
 
Yes, things here are in the toilet.  But thanks to an advance we bailed
the house.  (Don't every believe the mortgage company when they say they
will work with you to keep your house out of foreclosure, their idea of
helping was to raise the payment $300 - gee thanks)
 
Yes, what Kat wrote is true.  I am working two jobs, one full time making
less than my unemployment was, and part time to try to fill in.  Hubby's
shop closed.  The owner kept cutting back the hours to the point that if
you worked 10 in a week you were lucky, and unemployment is based on you
pay.  Once you work less than 20 you are part time.  And the guy
reclassified people as part time as the hours were cut.  If LTV does
close, I don't think the machine shops here will be doing much hiring.
Right now he is helping a friend out that has a small business.  Some how
I don't think that is going to work, but he has to learn that lesson on
his own.
 
Anyway, we still have lots of kids, and I would like to see them in homes,
some have been here a very long time.  I appreciate the other shelters
willing to take them on, but for now I would like to concentrate on homes.
If I can't keep this place bailed out, and we have to give up the house, I
will be contacting the shelters willing to take the kids, if I do that,
you know things are beyond anything I can do or fix, but for now, I will
keep on trying.
 
Someone asked if there were adoption fees, yes, there are.  Some one asked
what I do with my money.  Gee, did you know the new vaccine for ferrets
cost a little under $5.00?  And ADV testing is $10 when you send it in and
send in 10 or more?  The instant test is $15.  I spend $350 on food for
the ferrets, a month, and figure that $75 feeds my 14 so that means $275
for the shelter.  And hand outs, flyers, information, printer costs for a
year can be around $800, and that is cheap.  Ask your local shelter about
printing cost, I'll bet they cringe.  Not to mention the 160 pounds of
pellets a week, vet visits, emergency visits, cleaning supplies, laundry,
and the such.  So that is where my money goes.  Sorry, didn't mean to
start complaining, actually today I feel pretty good.  It is amazing what
16 hours of sleep does for you.
 
Now, here is something I wish each person would do.  Please think about
it.  Just do it.  Don't say you will, follow through.  Help your local
shelter.  Volunteer.  Don't want to clean litter boxes?  Ask to do
laundry, or data entry or help the shelter with their web page, organize
a fund raiser.  Do you sew?  Help make hammocks, or sleep sacks.  Crafty
person, think of some type of item that you can make that the shelter may
be able to sell to help with funds.  Don't have any ideas but have the
talent?  Talk to the shelter operator, one thing I have learned, most
shelter operators are pretty creative, so they may have an idea, maybe you
can put it together.  Do you like to cook or bake?  Well, shelter Moms and
Dads usually end up eating what ever when ever, so a batch of home made
cookies may just be sunshine to them.  Don't like to cook or do any of
that, then maybe you can just stop by and play with the kids.  Do nails,
clean ears or just listen to shelter mom or dad.  Some days being able to
cry on someone's shoulder makes the difference, it can help you see things
in a new light, maybe you may have a new perspective on a problem.  Do you
know people in the media?  Start bugging them to do a feel good story on
the shelter.  I do mean BUG them.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Actually, a producer at one of our local stations told me that.  She said
the more people call, email, or write to a station or news paper to do a
story on something the better, if they hear it a million times good, a
billion better, they need to hear it from people before they do anything.
 
Things are really tough in the shelter world.  Shelters are over run, not
enough homes, not enough time.  They need the help.  They need volunteers,
they need money, they need time.  They need you.
 
If you don't like me, or the way I am, or the way I do litter boxes, or my
attitude, that is fine, that is no reason not to help some other shelter.
 
Please, help your local shelter help the ferrets.  Don't have a local one?
Find one within driving distance.  Can't do that?  Then put the shelter
names in a hat, draw one out, and send them a note, contact the local news
media, send them a roll of paper towels.  Anything, just show you care
about what they do.
 
Please help.
 
If you know of any place you can post this message, feel free to do so,
the more people that are willing to help shelters, the better.  All
shelters need the help.  The biggest help can be some of your time.  Can
you afford two or three hours?
 
Hug the Fur Angels.
 
Jean
Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter
4116 Bucyrus Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio   44109
216/749-3885
www.ferretsunlimited.org
[Posted in FML issue 3615]