Hi Diane, I am curious as to why you are collecting this info.  Please let
me know in a direct email.
 
Here is some info on me and my shelter...
I have operated my shelter for quite some time now and feel this is what I
was put on this earth to do.  I **LOVE** what I do and would not change my
life for anything!!  I have 41 ferrets at my shelter right now, I feed,
water, scoop poop, and care for all of these everyday all by myself.  All
ferrets get the best diet possible (Totally Ferret), a cozy cage with *all*
the amenities, a minimum of 1-1/2 hours of playtime **per day**, with lots
of human interaction, and are kept up on shots and see the vet as needed.
 
I also earn a living by myself to pay *my* bills and the *ferrets'* bills.
I have a business of my own that I run solely by myself, it supplies a
moderate income, but with all the surgeries here of late it falls far short
of covering all the shelter's bills.  Thankfully, my vets are understanding.
 
I offer a ferret sponsorship program for the ferrets (permanent residents,
and if requested, those to be available for adoption soon) and will supply
more info on that to anyone who asks for it.  I get anywhere from 20 and 50
ferret-related emails per day to respond to.  I help alot of people with
their personal ferrets through email and on the phone.  I am on several
committees dealing with important issues regarding ferrets both locally and
nationally.  However, I am strictly independent at this time of large ferret
organizations.  I am solely responsible for picking up the rescues and
taking all the ferrets here to the vet, purchasing and picking up supplies,
etc..  I meet everyone personally in their homes who wants to adopt ferrets
from me.  I do 'local' adoptions only, because *I* keep track and check up
on the kids.  My phone rings almost constantly here with ferret questions,
as my number is nationally published.  I coordinate also with a branch
shelter of mine in Carlsbad, NM.  I operate a 24 hour emergency hot-line for
sick or injured ferrets and I am active in the local ferret club.  I am
leaving in 2 days for a trip across the country to meet other key people in
the ferret community, vets, etc., and I am making arrangements now for
shelter caretakers during my absence.  I am also in the process of writing
ferret related articles for national magazines and have started formulating
plans to publish my own shelter newsletter.  I am listed on Pam Grant's STAR
database, in the latest printing of Deborah Jean's book, in Ferret's USA
'97, and have a shelter web page (but that is 'under construction' at the
moment, so it has only about 5 percent of the info on it that I hope to,
there is just so little time, you know).
 
Yes, it sounds overwhelming, but you just get into sort of a routine, and
you just do what you have to do.  I am fortunate in having several key
shelter supporters in the local club (hey!  Mike, Larry, Linda, Erika) and
one in MO (hey!  Maggie) who take over some odd tasks for me as they arrise
allowing me to tend to 'fuzzy' stuff here.  Without special support and
assistance from Mike and Larry, I don't see how I could have made it this
far!  (Thanks guys :))
 
[Just in case anyone is wondering....No, I don't get much sleep.  Five to
six hours per night is about average (that is, if I am not nursing a sick
one.) Luckily, (and happily) I am single with no 'human children' to
interfere with the more important **ferret stuff**.]
 
My shelter is the Ferrets First Rescue & Shelter   3801 Zion Hill Loop
Weatherford, TX 76088  Phone is 817-599-7740
 
Kisses to your fuzzies.
Trish
[Posted in FML issue 1761]