For what it is worth, I decided to throw in my 2 cents.  I totally agree
with the comments of it being personal choice to donate or not to donate...
and with the concepts of the circle of caring.
 
I personally, have never asked publicly for cash but when I got slammed a
few months back, I did publicly ask for used cages, bedding etc to help
out.  As well as those items, I did recieve a couple of cash donations,
which went straight to the vets.
 
However, the point is this... although I may never be able to send a huge
chunk myself... I have, on several occasions sent care packages of MY
leftover donations and/or supplies to another shelter having more trouble
than us, or to a person with a sick ferret.
 
The whole idea of the mailing lists, the online clubs etc is to connect us
all... and for many, that connection means sharing and helping each other.
We may not "pay back" the same person who sent the donation, but we pass it
on... and in this we are helping make the world of fuzzies a little better.
 
Do people sometimes take advantage or use it as a scam?  I am sure they
do... but I have found that the ratio of scams are lowest in tight-knit,
community minded groups like this.  After all, so many of us either know
one another, have mutual friends etc...
 
I personally would rather take the chance that *maybe* 1 out of 50 people
was a scam who profited from it... but *know* that in 49 cases... I made
a difference.
 
I agree it would be a little tasteless to ask a single person for $500
with no intent on paying it back... but when a ferret or a shelter is in
need, even a $5 donation from each person can build up enough to help.  I
personally think $5 isn't too much to risk to take compared to the good it
might do.
 
As I said once before... if everyone reading this were to send $5, $10 or
a small box of supplies to your favorite shelter just once every 2-4
months... ALL shelters (and the ferrets in them) would be much better off.
 
Susan Malone
Fanciful Ferrets By Pegasus
Ferrets Unlimited Rescue Of Tulsa
[Posted in FML issue 2817]