Ferret care givers (whether shelter, rescue, or foster) give all that they
have and can to their charges. That is why I work 7 days a week. That is
why my charge cards are so high. But the ferrets in my care receive
everything and anything they need (good nutritious food, medical care, love)
or want (toys, treats). If they are lacking in anything it would have to be
discipline.
I couldn't raise enough funds to make up for my weekend income, which is why
I work a second job. That money goes specifically for the ferrets as does
most everything from my other job after bills are paid.
It might be 9 or 10 at night before I can eat supper or sometimes I'm just
too tired to eat and I skip supper. The ferrets and their related chores
come first, always. I'm sure that is true for all care givers.
These are some of the things that others don't know about or see - the 16-20
hour days, the sleepless nights, the sitting up with a dying ferret knowing
that you can't save them but need to be with them so they don't feel so very
alone, the pain and suffering, the lack of medical knowledge or skill of
vets, the injustices and cruelties against ferrets, that we frequently see
and try to combat, the ferrets we get too late to save, the ferrets we can't
get to save....
It is so very draining - physically, mentally, and financially.
These are only some of the things others don't know or see and what we
rarely talk about. Experiencing them is difficult enough. If you want sad
stories we can give them to you, but we won't because the pain is difficult
enough for us to bear.
If you want to donate to a shelter, please do so - if you don't want to then
don't. But until you have experienced what we have please don't condemn us,
any of us. And don't begrudge one shelter for what they have because others
don't. If there are shelters taking gains from others misfortune or
misusing funds, those care givers have to live with it. Some day the truth
will be known and they will have to live with that too.
As for rescues - My definition of rescue is to remove a ferret from a
harmful (whether that be by deliberate or unintentional abuse or
mistreatment or uninformed or any other means if the ferret's life is in
danger), or potentially deadly situation as quickly as possible and any way
I can. If that means paying for them, then so be it.
In the case of the Fredonia ferrets there are at least 7 we positively know
would not have survived another winter with the breeder. No one was asked
to pay for those rescues. People gave from their hearts, because they
wanted to help ferrets and this was something they could actually be part of
and make a difference for the ferrets. For the first time in their entire
lives these ferrets know love, kindness, caring, warmth and comfort. For
the first time in their lives they are loved. For the first time in their
lives they are part of a family. (I will post income and expenses as
promised as soon as all the expenses are in - with the final Fredonia
fuzzies in their new homes I should have them calculated soon.)
I do not consider the ferret that is voluntarily released because it can't
be sold or isn't wanted as a rescue. But this is my opinion and we are all
entitled to our own opinions.
Hugs to all. tle
[Posted in FML issue 1804]
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