Just got a call from my Marine son stationed in North Carolina.  He said
they have closed the bases down in the Jacksonville area and have ordered
an evacuation.  He told me not to plan on coming this weekend.  I told him
alot could happen between now and then and to just head for shelter and
hold tight.  I was going to leave Friday afternoon, drive 5-6 hours and
pull over for the night.  Wouldn't get to NC until Saturday afternoon.
Maybe by then the worst will be over!  Where my son was being evacuated
to would not allow animals and he and his wife refused to leave their two
cats.  They have decided to get a hotel room to ride the storm out!  I
guess I can't blame him-I don't think I could leave my herd.  Anyway, makes
me wonder about all the ferrets and shelters down there-the whole coast.  I
am in Ohio but I am willing to help however I can!  If I do make it down
this weekend and it does end up being as bad as they are predicting-I could
transport ferrets out of the area and could possibly provide temporary
housing!  Just contact me and we'll go from there!
 
On another note, I want to say that I enjoyed reading the different ways
people have of deciding how much money to spend to save a cherished animals
life.  I think it's a good thing to see the variety of opinions and I also
believe the different opinions help the young people who read this list.  I
know a young woman(not on this list) who has had a pretty hard life-she's
never known her father and her mother has a drug/alcohol problem.  This
young woman has always had to be responsible for herself and is trying hard
to make a good life for herself.  She has a good job and her own apartment
and recently accepted responsibility of a cat.  The cat ended up needing a
$200.00 surgery and everyone this young girl knew told her to have the cat
put to sleep because she couldn't afford the surgery.  The cat was at the
Vet-awaiting her decision when I ran into her.  She did not want to "kill"
the cat!  She said she loved the cat.  I told her to go for it!  Ask about
a payment plan-offer to do some volunteer work-just let the Vet know how
serious you are about saving the cat-make payments!  I told her if she
loved the cat-to do what she had to do to save it!  And she said to me:
"And it's okay to spend that kind on money on an animal?" I just laughed
and hugged her!  I guess the point I am trying to make(finally!)is that
different opinions are good.  All this girl needed was one person to tell
her it was okay to spend the money on a cat!!  Everyone else was telling
her to put it to sleep-she needed that one different opinion to be able to
make a decision she could live with!  Her and the cat are doing fine and
yes, I made a call the next day and arranged to pay a chunk of her bill.
Was told at that time that she had also worked out a deal with the Vet-she
would be cleaning his office for a month!  (GOOD VET!!)  As for myself-the
decision to spend or not to spend depends on the situation!  I don't have
money laying around, but when it came to paying $700.00 to save a $6.50
goat-I didn't hestitate!  I had to choose to put the goat down, to let him
suffer an incredibley painful death by doing nothing and letting his
bladder rupture, or by having surgery which would save his life and allow
him to live out the remainder of his life carefree and happy!  I choose the
surgery.  On the other hand, my rat needed a $200.00 surgery which would
have prolonged her life-MAYBE 6-8 months-if she survived the operation.  I
opted for no surgery-she lived an additional 9 months and died in my arms.
Either way-the money was not a factor!  I think it is an individual
choice-something that unfortuantely we all have to make at one time or
another.  And we each have to live with our decisions.  But the opinions
are good and if they help just one person-so much the better!!
 
Della and the Tumbleweeds                     AIM <imjudella2>
Judy Cooke                                    ICQ # 12094923
Tyson and Einstein
 
"The world is made up for the most part of morons and natural tyrants, sure
  of themselves, strong in their own opinions, never doubting anything."
  Clarence Darrow
[Posted in FML issue 2805]