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From:
FerretMomJC <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 6 Dec 2007 19:50:28 -0800
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I'll speak up here because I had spoken against this requirement a
couple months ago.

Anon Said: [Via Penny Hendrix <[log in to unmask]> ]
>The AFA is first and foremost and educational organization and cannot
>back down from its position against rewarding organizations who do not
>do the bare minimum to ensure that the animals they rehome are healthy
>and will stay healthy. Not being able to come up with testing paperwork
>means not testing IMO. Quick test? That's not a valid test and this
>isn't news.

I've been sheltering for 11+ years now and have always believed I was
being a responsible shelter operator. I have to say that what "isn't
news" about the quick test to you certainly was news to me until I read
the AFA's spay/neuter fund requirement. Perhaps being an AFA member
means you're closer to this information that many of us, I don't know.
The statement that the quick test was basically worthless caused me to
dive in and research the 3 different tests.

As everyone knows, shelters are not swimming in excess funds, so I
certainly would have never bothered spending money by testing every
ferret who came through my doors with the quick test if I had any
idea that it was considered highly flawed. I'd have coughed up the
additional $5-10 per ferret and gotten the test proven to be more
accurate as my goal IS to only rehome healthy ferrets.

In my research, I was unable to conclude that there had actually been
side-by-side studies of the 3 most common tests. This bothered me - I'm
not one for accepting as fact, that which I cannot find the back-up
for. However, it would bother me even more to find that I had
unintentionally spread ADV to a single ferret, so I've begun using
the blood test now. And although it may not meet the criteria of a
scientific experiment, because I do have a large supply of the quick
tests, I'm conducting my own study by doing BOTH tests on all incoming
ferrets just for the sake of comparison.

Anon Said:
>Never ADV tested with a valid test? Shut up and get to work, don't
>whine and demand your payout, this isn't the government.
   and
>The self-sustaining shelter is a rarity in the ferret community,
>yet this is the only animal whose shelter operators have such an
>entitlement complex

Shut up and get to work? Boy, would I love for you to spend a few weeks
in the shoes of your average shelter operator because all they do is
work and it's not for glory or money. A self-sustaining shelter of any
kind, dog, cat, ferret or wildlife is a rarity. Even if you charge a
surrender fee and an adoption fee, it's usually not possible to be
self-sustained. This means we supplement through fundraising and with
our own funds, in addition to the space in our homes, the countless
hours, the vehicle & fuel for travel - it doesn't mean we start feeling
entitled. It means that we're obligated to those in our care to squeeze
every dollar until George has tears in his eyes and to be very aware of
the different organizations and agencies who are out there for the
purpose of lending support to shelters.

I'm not in debt with my shelter, I don't run a tab at my vet, I don't
put supplies on credit cards. I put $16K of my own funds towards my
shelter last year to keep from being in debt. Did I ask for help when I
got in 34 ferrets from a hoarder in terrible medical condition, yes -
this was an unplanned intake and it would have been difficult to be
prepared for it. I greatfully accepted donations of food, supplies and
cash to assist with their care. This is what organizations like SOS
exist for!! But I didn't ask with a sense of entitlement - I asked in
hopes that assistance was available - if it was not, because the need
was so immediate, I'd have sold things to make up the difference - just
like I have sold my own family jewlery to fund spay/neuters this year!!

I was vocal in objection, but AFA's stand on tests did cause me to
change my methods here. Expressing my disappointment that I am not
eligible for funds earmarked for spay/neuter of DMK ferrets when I had
82 DMK ferrets in my shelter this year doesn't mean one hand is on my
hip & the other one outstreatched - I don't have enough hands for that
- one is scooping a litter pan and the other giving sub-q fluids and
that's after I get home from the job that pays for the kibble!!

Jerri Carel
The Ferret Haven 
Louisville, KY
[log in to unmask]
www.theferrethaven.org

[Posted in FML 5813]


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