Heather's list to the FML yesterday was fantastic.  It's always amazing
the list of things it really takes to run a shelter.  I'd like to add a
few more I thought of.
 
* Shelters always need volunteers.  You can help clean litterboxes and
bedding, fill food and water bowls.  But there is always much more that
needs to be done.  Ferrets at the shelter are often in need of play time.
It's difficult for shelter moms and dads to simply keep the cages clean
and keep up with medications (in addition to working a full time job).
Most shelters appreciate people just coming over and spending time playing
with the ferrets ...and if you can clip a few nails and clean a few ears
in the process GREAT!
 
* Shelters also need volunteers to help with paperwork.  (Heather reminded
me of this one.  Thanks, Heather!) Fliers need to be copied, folded and
stapled.  Applications need to be filed, offices need to be organized and
adoption packets need to be assembled.
 
* Be available.  You might be able to help your shelter a lot just
by being available to make pick-ups for them or to help distribute
literature.  People often call shelters wanting to surrender but may be
far away or just unwilling to drive the ferret there.  Let your shelter
mom or dad know if you're willing to do pick-ups for them.  Or help to
distribute literature about the shelter and the proper care of ferrets at
vets offices and pet shops.  Just knowing there is someone else to turn to
can take a load off an already overloaded shelter mom or dad.
 
* Gift Certificates to Jeffer's (Many shelters get their vaccines and
medicines from Jeffers if yours doesn't find out where they do and get a
gift cert from there.)
 
* Gift Certificates to the Ferret Store (Don't forget shelters buy at a
lower rate so they can often get more with a gift cert than if you just
buy suppiles to give them.)
 
* Laundry products.  The amount of laundry generated by a shelter is
amazing.  Laundry detergent is always needed.  Or maybe you can take
home a few loads of laundry to do at your house and bring back clean.
This way you also save the shelter some water and electricity!
 
* Paper towels and garbage bags.  Lots of ferrets = lots of messes.  Need
I say more?
 
* Fund raising.  Shelters always need help fundraising.  Fund raising
takes time, money and some coordination effort.  Maybe if you cook you
can arrange a bake sale.  Or maybe if you sew you can sew somethings to
auction off on ebay.  Or if you have lots of friends you can rent a
bowling alley and sponsor a bowl-a-thon.  Help donate items for fund
raisers or better yet help organize a fund raiser your self.  Find out
what "big" item your local shelter is in need of.  Maybe a copy machine.
Then arrange a drive to help raise money to buy one.  Some drives are
more effective with a single goal in mind.  It is a little bit of work but
it can be lots of fun and very rewarding (especially when you can present
a check to your shelter for much more than you could have been able to
donate yourself!)
 
* Food for shelter mom and dad!  How about a prepared casserole that just
needs to be placed in the oven at night?  It's not at all uncommon for
shelter parents to not get around to their dinner until 10 or 11 at night.
(And don't forget most of them have to be to work in the morning just like
you and me, only they have to care for a shelter full of ferrets first.)
Something that can be quickly reheated may be greatly appreciated.  Often
even a tray of cookies can look like a delicacy!
 
* A phone call.  Shelter mom and dads are often stressed to the limit.  In
addition to working full time and taking care of the shelter kids they
have to deal with the public ... and you wouldn't believe the idiots some
people can be, or the things that some shelter owners hear and see.  It's
enough to make you sick or mad or sad or everything at once.  Often a
shelter mom or dad may just need to vent.  Let them rant and rave and
swear they're going to give up sheltering and sometimes cry.  Often that's
all they need to feel better and be ready to face it all again.  Remember
to tell them that even though some people are idiots, that a lot of people
out there really appreciate what they do.  (And be sure to ask first to
find out if they are busy.  They may be in the middle of an adoption or an
emergency.)
[Posted in FML issue 3630]