whatever news items i watched DID mention that she'd recently been sick
and had been unable to care for the animals properly. they also stated
that she'd been running a shelter - not one mentioned anything about
her being a hoarder.

the comment about the animals in the freezer made sense once i heard
the newsperson comment about her running a shelter.

with regard to her being given a 'clean-up' order before anyone coming
in to remove the animals...she probably had been given one - and didn't
follow it and that's why the animals were taken. OR someone reported
the situation and, when the spca got there, she was just so relieved
that help became available that she agreed to signing them over (which
she did do and that fact was mentioned in at least two of the news
reports that i read and/or watched). if her health is that bad, then
she probably didn't see any reason to fight them wanting to remove the
animals.

i think it's unfair and wrong that this woman in va has been fined. i
wonder if mckay was fined?? probably not.

as for mckay, we know that he did receive some kind of 'clean-up'
order. what i've never understood about the mckay rescue is why there
was no news coverage about it.

what i don't understand about this situation in virginia is, if this
woman is so well-known in the ferret community, and if she was doing
the shelter for the welfare of the animals and not as a profit thing,
WHY didn't she reach out to someone in it?? no harm or shame in saying
you need help - especially since the help needed is really for the
benefit of the animals (which is the whole purpose of running a
shelter, right?). furthermore, WHY didn't someone who was in contact
with her DO something before this got to the point that it did??

we are definitely not hearing the whole story here.

sheesh, as bad as he was, even mckay managed to reach out when he
realized things weren't going to improve!

it's just sad. these two situations - and all the others that came
before, as well as those that will happen in the future. and these
things WILL continue to happen. because people don't think ahead and
have a plan for when unexpected things happen. or they assume someone
in the family will take over (as was probably the case with mckay).

nope. can't think or assume or expect. regardless of whether you are
running a shelter or are just have a few animals as pets or are a
breeder. you have to have a concrete contingency plan in place. fully
discussed with whoever it affects as well as have everything in
writing.

take care, all!! and get working on your contingency plan!! :)

joclyn

[Posted in FML 5870]