I have a NO KILL shelter.  I am known for nine counties around as the place
to go with any ferret in any condition at any time and under any
circumstances.
 
Last year I bought out a skinny old arthritic backed adrenal ferret and
brought him home.  I give him meds for the arthritis and treat that with
physical therapy.  I have him on an adrenal diet that must be made up every
other day just for him.  and I feed him by syringe every two hours for 16
hours each day.
 
I take no vacations, have little furniture, live a no frills life, and wear
serviceable if old clothes every day.  I hire no one to do anything and do
without extras like jam on my bread as a normal part of life.  My idea of a
feast is all the bologna sandwiches I can eat out of fresh [not day old]
bread.
 
I have the insane and the crippled and the old and the infirm.  and never a
day or even an hour off the job.
 
And I do it all for the most selfish of reasons.  I like what I do..  I
feel good when a tired old fuzzy grins up at me and snuggles down for a nap
in my arms.  I get a huge charge out of seeing a previously quite insane
ferret [yup, abuse them enough they go nuts] stop screaming and biting at
phantom attackers and finally lay calm and relaxed in a friends arms and
give him kisses, her very first.  I laugh with the crippled ones when they
climb up onto my floor level mattress and box springs and then propped on
front paws look so pleased and proud of their accomplishment.  And I shed
little tears of quiet joy when these same fuzzies dook and dance a bit each
day.  With some I am blessed for a year or two.  With some it's days.  and
with others it's hours or minutes.
 
But not once has it ever been a second longer than I have ached and prayed
for.
 
and yes, over the years there have been the ones so torn or ill they were
in pain and there was no getting better..not ever..  no matter how hard we
worked or prayed..[take it from me three 22 bullets breaks a lot of bones
and shatters a lot of tissue beyond mending and a huge dog can tear and
rend a ferret beyond recognition] and those I have gotten freedom from pain
and a time to cuddle and love and calm as the little one inhales a bit too
much anesthetic and drifts from sleep to beyond the veil.  But whether I am
blessed with them seconds or years their passing costs.  And money is the
least of the bill paid.  It hurts to lose them ..  it ALWAYS hurts.  If the
day ever comes I do not weep for a ferret crossed over to the Bridge that
is the day I will stop sheltering ferrets forever.  The other side of the
coin of loving is the grieving.  The one measures the other in many ways.
 
If a shelter cannot afford to treat the ferrets entrusted to them then it
is their responsibility to get those ferrets to a shelter that can and will
do their best for them.  Death is not an alternative to responsibility!!!
 
I hope you all enjoy Gods Blessing and the light of hope and love this
Holiday Season..
 
dayna and the woozles
October 30, 1998  The Day The Music Died.  I love you Allegro... and will
miss you all of my days.
[Posted in FML issue 2518]