As only one shelter that can not speak for any others, I must respond to
a post from a ferret owner.  Often times without being "in the know" some
people can jump to conclusions about events, or people...
 
For instance..adoptions.  I will say that Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea" has
been operating at capacity for many months now, perhaps due to a person
masquerading as a board member saying we no longer adopt out.  While that
makes it extremely difficult to take in new ferrets, let me unequivocally
state that we would never adopt to a home that does not meet our
standards simply to make room.  In the long run, that benefits neither
the shelter nor the ferret.
 
As an example - lets call the person "gail".  "gail" adopted ferrets from
us in the past - passed all of our requirements, seemed like a great
home.  BUT "gail" was not able to keep the ferrets and returned some of
them and long term boarded others for many months while working through
personal issues.  Our board/shelter has a strict policy of not allowing
adoptions to any person that releases ferrets to our shelter.  This was
explained to "gail" in an email.  Was this bad of her?  No.  Was the
shelter wrong in adopting to her?  perhaps.  Will the shelter adopt
anymore to her?  No.  Could this person be angry at the shelter and
perhaps passing on only their side of the story?  Well, yeah - but I
would hope that the person on the other end of this conversation would be
intelligent enough to verify the story before going anywhere with it and
maybe think that there was a reason for why the shelter will no longer
adopt to that person.  We all make mistakes - shelter people are human
too..we just prefer to only make that mistake once, since other lives
are involved.
 
As far as ferrets released to shelters, I prescribe to STAR*Ferrets
guidelines.  I will not take in a ferret simply because the person calls
me - instead I will ask that the owner takes personal responsibility in
trying to find the ferret a new home first - by putting an advertisement
in the newspaper, talking to veterinarians, neighbors, friends and
family, and if all else fails: yes, we will take the ferret.  We have
been this year inundated with ferrets due to overseas deployments, the
IRAQ war (we are in a military town), etc.  We simply have a limited
amount of space to take in ferrets.  I am sure that we are not the only
shelter limited in this way.  We never discriminate based on age or
condition - only on whether we have the physical ability to care for
them.  I can tell you that as of Aug. 1, we have taken in 63 ferrets
for 2003.
 
After sheltering for 10 years, we know what our limits are - both
phsyically and emotionally.  I will not cross that line.  Some people
may not understand how "just one more ferret" can break the back of
a shelter.  I encourage you - clean 15 cages, change bedding, fill
food/water bottles, do nails on that many ferrets..day after day, year
after year.  While "just one more ferret" may not seem like a back
breaker, it may be for *that* shelter - this isn't wrong - it is just
their limits.
 
We do our best as do all the shelters that I know to support the
community and the ferrets.  We have a great working relationship with
other local shelters - Richmond Ferret Rescue and FerretsR#1 for instance -
we communicate and try to keep each other from being overwhelmed and
overburdened..and is a testament to how shelters within a state should
operate together.  I think that we do a pretty good job of working
together and exchanging information and ideas.  I would hope that other
shelters in other states have such a cooperative effort as I enjoy with
Tracie, Marlene, Nancy and Faith.
 
In closing - I just wish that folks criticizing shelters would walk a
mile in our moccasins - I've had phone calls at 2am on a workday - 7am
on a Sunday - wanting to turn in ferrets, having a problem with one,
interested in adopting..and have always answered the call.  We may not
always be able to return a phone call in 24 hours - but always within a
day or so.  Our lives never seem to be our own - but yet I would never
begrudge a moment of it.  I would hope that more people would be willing
to give the shelter the benefit of the doubt about adoptions, personal
lives and phone calls and understand that what we see and hear may play
a huge part in whether or not the decision to adopt is made.
 
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org
[Posted in FML issue 4228]