Dear FML,
I first became involved with the shelter the spring of 1997.  I had
received a ferret as a gift, and subsequently bought her a friend from a
pet shop.  I set out to learn as much as possible about my friends, and
found the FML.  I had posted with frantic new owner questions, and received
replies from the shelter mom, who welcomed me to the wonderful world of
ferrets by sharing her experience, and helping me to learn more.  That was
in the good old days when she usually had 20-30 ferrets, and still had time
to read the FML.
 
At this time the shelter is providing care for around 90 ferrets.
Approximately 40 are in foster homes, and there are about 50 at the
shelter.  I hedge on numbers, because they change from day-to-day.  People
volunteer at the shelter, but as usual 90% of the work is done by less than
10% of the people.  Many shelter volunteers are also foster care providers.
The shelter has 12 ferrets available for adoption now.  Again that number
changes from day-to-day.  Of the remaining ferrets, many are still in
quarantine, are terminally ill, or need rehab for behavior problems.  They
may be elderly, loner, handicapped, or otherwise challenged ferrets.  In
the last year the shelter population has exploded.
 
We have appealed to the local club, the shelter mailing list, and have
published calls for help in our club newsletter.  We have handed out tons
of literature in malls, pet shops, libraries, and on bulletin boards.  We
hold ferret info days at malls and in pet shops.  Shelter fund raising
events have been held, ferret parenting classes are offered, a ferret
support network is in place, and we're working on a lost ferret hot line.
All this is offered through the shelter.  Many, many ferrets have been
placed in good homes and foster homes.  Unfortunately the people who want
to give up ferrets seem to be better at finding the shelter than those who
want to foster, and/or adopt ferrets.
 
It seems that since Petco popped up, and started selling ferrets, and the
shelter started to get publicity the shelter population has exploded.
Many of the ferrets coming into the shelter are not "quick-turn-around"
adoptions.  Good homes, both adoptive and foster are far outnumbered by
good ferrets.
 
I still have my two original pet shop ferrets.  I have rescued many, and
adopted one of my rescues, I have one from a breeder, one adopted from the
shelter, and I foster a 7 y.o. adrenal male, and his cage mate a 3 y.o.
female, for a total of 7 ferrets.  I am a single parent, a full time
student, and I manage an apartment building.  I drove 10 ferrets to another
shelter in Arkansas in November to provide some relief to the MN shelter,
and already the shelter is over populated again.
 
To the person who posted anonymously:
Please e-mail me directly at [log in to unmask]  I want to determine
whether we are talking about the same shelter, and if so, what happened to
you and your friends to form your opinion.  Let's place principles before
personalities and work together for the ferrets .
[Posted in FML issue 2534]