I am posting to suggest that ferret shelters need to really try to increase
the public's knowledge of their existence.  Just for something to do last
night, I went into a chat room for people with pets on AOL.  I asked if
anyone had ferrets.  One person responded that they wanted to buy two
ferrets.  I suggested that they try a shelter.  Several people actually
'scoffed' at me for saying there was such a thing and laughed, saying there
weren't enough ferrets around for shelters.  I told them there was a ferret
shelter in my area with many adoptable ferrets.  The guy wrote back that
there was not much call for ferret shelters in Connecticut.  Isn't
Connecticut one of the most active ferret organization states!?  I found
the Ferret Association of Connecticut web page and sent him the url.
 
Just the fact that people didn't believe me when I said there were such
things as ferret shelters suggests to me that ferret shelters really need
to publicize themselves.  When I moved to my current location, I didn't
realize there was a ferret shelter in the area and I consider myself a
fairly well educated ferret person.  I bought three ferrets from pet stores
before I knew there was a shelter.  If I had known I would have adopted
ferrets from the shelter (although I wouldn't trade mine for the world
now)!
 
Now I know shelters don't want to adopt to "just anybody" who wants a
ferret, but if people don't even know about the shelters how are they ever
going to find enough people who are actually suitable ferret parents?
 
Anyway, that's just a suggestion.
 
[LA]
[Posted in FML issue 2531]