This is not a flame, it is a question and my feelings about something.  I
run a self-funded, small shelter.  I have taken in only a few ferrets at
a time, and been lucky with healthy ones.2 were taken from a filthy house
they were starving in along with the 2 iguanas,3 dogs,3 cats,and 2 infants
under the age of 2.  I got the ferts.One is with me permanantly,and that's
by beloved Fidget.  The girl was given to a family who had children and
couldn't afford the cage and ferret but could pey for vet bills and
necessities.She is loved by that family and spoiled.She sleeps with the
children and has free roam of the house.Another was in a pet store.
Silver Panda Blaze and deaf as a stump.  Couldn't leave him there to be
misunderstood,he is VooDoo my friend has him.Another was a huge fellah
named TJ but we called him Fat Butt.Yeah, he was way overweight.His owner
let him have lots of cheerios and fruit loops.Fed him fruit and chips
too.He went on a diest he hated and lis now a normal healthy guy.he was
well loved but the owner had to move and couldn't keep him.He resides with
a friend of a friend who adopted him for small $50 to cover the shots and
vet bill.Then came Sebastian the biter.Looks a lot like Fidge but black not
sable.Bastian was a biter and always into trouble.He was adopted by my
friend who has VooDoo for the same $50 fee for shots.
 
Sabrina is still here, she is a problem biter turned to a nipper.She is
now adoptable and ready to go.  Baby came to me from Kentucky a few months
ago.She is healthy despite being left God knows how long in an apartment
after the people moved and left her behind.She is very calm and sweet.She
is with me permanently.She has suffered enough and Has a few hang-ups.I
think she is an old girl.She is a medium shade of sable all over with cream
undercoat, but has long white hairs peppered(or should I say salted?) on
her legs.She does not play, or run or jump.She moves at a normal rate,
neither slow nor quick.  She puts the others in their place and ignores
them unless they are in her way or pestering her.  I kept calling her the
poor baby and Baby just stuck.
 
OK now, as I say I have been lucky.ALL of the ferrets coming thru my place
have been Marshalls.Sebastian and Sabrina.Parents tired of taking care of
teenagers pets.gave me ferrets,sold me the HUGE cage for $50 dollars(what a
funny theme we have here) and they GAVE me four other cages.2 double sized
multi-level cages, and 2 single story multi level cages.AND litter AND food
AND toys AND sleepsacks.She was a wonderful mother and SO glad to let me
take them off her hands <G> Even after I had the ferts for months she would
drop things off for me now and then.I would come home and find a sack of
hammocks or sleepsacks or toys,or food or litter.  Wonderful people.
 
I have offered many times to many local shelters who are overcrowded to
take up to four or five ferts so they are slightly less overcrowded.I have
only room enough for a few at a time I cannot allow myself to become
overcrowded.I have only so much funds right now due to a costly move and am
only able to take healthy animals who are just awaiting homes.I can take
biters or deaf ones, I have experience with them.  Just no adrenals or
insulinomas until I can get my savings built up again.It took all I had for
the move.  We have gone from an apartment to a huge house where they can
roam and play and dook all day.I am glad I moved, I can now rescue the dogs
and ferrets again.Rather than be of no help at all, I have offered my
limited service.I will do what I can as a single mother I am not putting my
child or myself or ferrets or dogs in a position where I am overextended
time wise and financially.
 
Every offer I have made was turned down or ignored.Rather than put them
somewhere they will get more time and space, individual attention as well
as socialisation, I have been told by those who bothered to respond that
they would rather not uproot them again.I understand that these shelters
are doing their VERY BEST by the animals they care for, I am not flaming.
I just don't understand why they post for ssistance due to overcrowding,and
why feel that they are fine where they are when I, a smaller operation have
a better situation for them,even if it is temporary.  Some ferrets are best
left in one place,I know that, which is why my 2 are with me for good, but
some ferrets are more hardy, and do just fine when transferred more than
once.  I cannot be much help for donations, but am perfectly able to
shelter a few healthy babies to help relieve the congestion a little in a
larger shelter and provide a small, but worthwhile service.  I have 3 empty
cages.(baby prefers her own space) I can house up to 5 ferrets in them.  If
you have a shelter in or around Columbus, Ohio I can assist.  Just nobody
will let me.
 
Kim Wolf
Mystyx Samoyeds
Samoyed Rescue
and Ferret Rescue
Galloway,Ohio
[Posted in FML issue 2840]