Originally I was going to defend my actions with a heartfelt story about the
rescue.  I have since decided not to.  I still feel the all the people
involved did the best they could.
 
As far as the people from London, they had first told me that they could not
afford to foster any ferrets and would need help from us.  I am not a rich
shelter and told them I couldn't help with too much.  They then told me that
they would adopt a few themselves.  I contacted Mike (who had 2 ferrets with
him) and told him to give the people the ferrets.  They contacted me to let
me know that the ferrets were 100% healthy even their teeth!!  That was the
last I herd of them I swear.
 
We were then told that the man had sold 1/2 of the ferrets at an auction in
London which horrified me as I *WAS* an active agent for the S.P.C.A. and I
have seen many horrid auctions.  We were also told that he would continue to
sell the ferrets until the removal on Friday.  It was New year's eve, and we
decided that the best way to get the to safety immeadatly (with the cold
weather) was to go out and buy them.  At no time were we told that anyone
from the London area was wanting to help with the removal.
 
As far as them going to America, at the time we were talking about 60
fuzzies and not too many Canadian homes.  I too would have rather had them
here in Ontario, but almost no Canadians responded to my pleas for help.
The ones that did were the Fischers, and a couple from Ottawa.  Other
Canadians were already a part of the Society.  So, therefore, I turned to
our neighbors for help and was overwhelmed with the support they lended.
 
In the end, there was only 24 ferrets saved.  We moved them to Pet Smart for
quarantine as I have said before I have 22 other shelter ferrets to worry
about.  I wouldn't have taken this on, had the S.P.C.A.  not asked me for my
help.  To all the S.P.C.A. ferret lovers, you should check their policy
against ferrets before you jump the gun.  I was told all this time, that the
ferrets would be removed on new year's eve, then told that there was NO
manpower to do the job until Friday.
 
A certain couple in London, finding out that the press and Pet Smart were
helping us to find homes for the ferrets, called the store and television
stations to tell them that we were in this for the money, we *stole* the
ferrets from London and that we were not even a shelter.  As a result of
this, the store *almost* kicked us out, and one of the major TV stations
dropped the story.  THANKS it didn't hurt me, it hurt the ferrets and
stopped them all from finding homes.
 
I never turned down the London people from adopting the ferrets.  I simply
told them that now the ferrets are in OUR care, I would like to know where
they are going and have an application form filled out.  This is not good
enough for the people in London and I am not sure where else to go with
them.  I believe I have a right to know where the ferrets will be going.
 
No offense intended, but I don't know who you are and I need to cover my
shelter bases.  If they were not good homes, next time I'm yelled at on the
FML it would be because I just let them go without knowing where.  I have no
problem going back to London with ferrets, just after the forms are filled
out.
 
Please people.  Let this end here.  I do not have the energy to continue
this, nor do I want to fight with anyone.  We just did what we thought was
necessary to relieve the immediate distress with the fuzzies.  I am sorry if
we did it not to *your* approval.  I really don't care.  All I care about is
that they are NOW safe.
 
Randy
[Posted in FML issue 2179]