Hello everyone,    (this is cross posted, sorry)
 
I volunteer at 24K Ferret Rescue and Shelter in Las Vegas and I thought I
would give you guys an update.
 
So far this year, this shelter has taken in 206 ferrets and there is
about 60 or so permanent residents or unadoptables with about 30 of them
in foster homes.
 
This week has actually been slow.  Only 5 ferrets came in and 3 are
adrenal.
 
Two were dropped off in a duffle bag by a man who said he got them from
another person who didn't want them anymore.  He said he couldn't
remember their names and one was one of those "hairless" ferrets.  The
man was well meaning but truly didn't know anything about ferrets.  He
did know both were sick with adrenal.
 
Another volunteer, Dave, drove to San Diego to pick up a micro-chipped
ferret.  I had no idea what that meant but CJ told me that means if that
ferret is found again in California, he will be checked for that
micro-chip and then put to sleep.
 
Another two came in from California, one is old and the other is young.
Apparently the owner died and the family did not want them.
 
Today, again Dave drove to an animal hospital that called when a man
dropped off a 5 yr old ferret.  He said someone else had abandoned it.
But he seemed so concerned with exactly who the tech was calling to come
get the ferret, that most likely the ferret was his.  This ferret is also
quite sick so he will be going to the shelter's vet right away.
 
The shelter also took in a very sweet little female sugar glider from
Ventura, CA.  Fish and Game found out about her and told the owner they
are illegal, the owner asked what to do with her and was told to call CJ.
 
Another story I wanted all of you to know about was a young couple from
CaCa Land came over on a day I happened to be there to drop off their two
well-cared for ferrets.  The ferrets are as sweet as can be and so were
the owners.  They truly loved their ferrets and were sorry to give them
up.  Turns out an animal control man saw the ferrets at their home and
told them he would have to take the ferrets because in CaCa Land they had
to be rehabilitated and then released into the wild!!  Wow.  Talk about
misinformed.  Then he decided to call and make sure and came back and
instead said no, they would be put to sleep.
 
But this man seemed to have a heart.  He didn't want to take their
ferrets so he told them to get rid of them.  So the owner looked up
ferret shelters and found 24K.  And they cared enough to drive and drop
them off themselves.
 
And the vet bills are beginning to add up.  The shelter's bill is
exceeding $1000 now.  This summer has been crappy for adoptions.
Actually this summer has been horrible for cat and dog shelters too.
So many animals have been dumped this year, shelters here in Vegas are
actually giving animals away.  No adoption fee.
 
So I have a auction up to help a little.  It is an authentic Prada
luggage bag.  PLEASE take a look and thank you.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3427013813
 
Ingrid K. Lower
[Posted in FML issue 4239]