I am not a shelter Mom (or Dad) but I did adopt two ferrets through a local
shelter 2 years ago.  These ferrets did bring ECE and giardia into my
household, and I incurred veterinary costs of over $1000 for 4 sick ferrets.
Also it was no fun getting meds into 4 sick ferrets three times a day and
rushing the elderly one to the vet twice to be rehydrated.  Fortunately none
of the ferrets died.
 
Now, here is my opinion on the matter.  Shelters operate on a voluntary,
not-for-profit basis.  Most shelter operators dig deep into their own
pockets to ensure the welfare of their charges, not to mention the sleepless
nights and heartache that often goes along with caring for sick and unwanted
ferrets.  Shelters are not pet stores and cannot give any guarantee of
health to prospective adopters, neither should they be expected to.  For one
thing, ECE is not always obvious, especially in younger animals.  The two I
adopted were on the thin side and had somewhat runny (not green) stools--all
of this could have been attributed to possible neglect and the change of
diet and surroundings.  It took several trips to the vet before they were
even diagnosed with ECE and giardia.
 
If you adopt (and I still strongly advocate adopting from a shelter), you
should consider the following things:
 
1) Can I afford potential vet bills if the animal is ill?  Don't adopt from
   a shelter because ferrets are cheaper there, this isn't always the case
   in the long run.
 
2) Do I have an elderly ferret which may not weather being exposed to
   ECE well?  My experience was that the younger animals (2-4 years) did
   fairly well with ECE, while the 6-year-old did not.
 
3) Do I have the space, cages, and accessories to effect a quarantine
   situation until I know for sure the animals are healthy?  I didn't do
   this, and I sincerely regret it to this day.
 
Shelters should do their best to determine if an animal is sick, but they
cannot guarantee it, nor should they be expected to take responsibility.  A
prospective adoptive parent should be informed of the *possibility* of ECE
and the potential risks, but beyond that, they are on their own.
 
Just my .02, and regards to all the shelter operators out there who are
doing such a heroic job.
 
     Gail Snyder Shochet
     and Elie Wiesel, Pixel, Kiaya, and Pepe
[Posted in FML issue 2287]