Dear FMLers..
 
Ferret greetings to all.  I am at this time quite angry.  First I am a
very good friend of Carole McCraig.  My wife and I have visited Carole in
Virginia Beach twice this last year and will be back down there in May or
June.  When I first read the posts concerning what Lisa Leddig anounced
at the Ferret Symposium I was a bit miffed but now I am very angry.  Let
me set the record stright.
 
First..The so called "outbuilding" is in fact a brand new (less than a
year old) barn style garage.  It is a two story, residential compliant
well lighted spacious ,ferret home.  It is heated in winter and has it's
own A/C unit for summer.  It is 20X24 feet folks.  I know as I have been
in it and have worked in it helping out.  The whole problem started when
a man from the local zonning office in Virginia Beach got a report that
someone was "living" in the barn.  Well Carole is out there all times of
the day and night working with her ferrets.  I know as I have been there
too!!!  I think is what someone saw that and reported it as being "lived
in".
 
OK so the inspector comes out and sees all the ferrets and and suddenly it
is against the law to run a ferret shelter in VaBch.  Well Carole and her
husband Tom went to a hearing the next week, and guess what???  They are
NOT breaking any "current zonning laws" so they were told to keep doing
what they are doing.  This all started on the Thursday just before the
Symposium.
 
OK, so Carole called Lisa to confirm what the laws were as she, Carole
was understandably very distressed at what had happened, and as Lisa had
done extensive research into the local zonning laws.  Carole didn't talk
to Lisa as she had already left for Las Vagas.  Carole talked to Lisa's
boyfriend and I guess he relayed the info to Lisa.
 
Now the plot thickens..  For what reasons I can only guess at, Lisa then
made some angry appeal to resuce ferrets from some horrible situation that
didn't even exsist.
 
I have met Lisa once down there back in April.  I think she really loves
ferrets but may have some other motives going on as well.  Carole has
taken in Lisa's ferrets on at least one occasion and kept them without
charge for over 6 months.  Does this sound like someone whom Lisa wouldn't
trust?  Would any of you leave your ferrets in horrible conditions for six
months?  Hell NO!!  But now we are led to believe that Carole is letting
her ferret live in horrible conditions to the point where they need to be
rescued?  Whats wrong with this picture Ladies and Gentlemen?
 
Secondly, Carole has for over 20 years taken in ferrets of all shapes
sizes and coloring, in all all kinds of health.  Carole takes in ferrets
that are old, sick ,and have special needs.  She doesn't turn any of them
away.  In fact the local Humane Societies all over the Tide Water area
call Carole.  I know as my wife and I went to Williamsberg with Carole to
pick up two ferrets at the H..S office there.  As a matter of fact Carole
has taken in ferrets that Lisa would not.  That is fact.  I am not trying
to bash Lisa but I will let the facts stand as I know them.
 
I personally think that the money raised should go to the Ferret Rescue
of Tidewater.  After all it was "raised" to help rescue ferrets right?
Carole is doing just that... 24/7 365.  I can't begin to tell you how much
I have learned from Carole, but my ferrets have benifited greatly from all
of it!!  Carole is still doing what she has been doing and doing it very
very well.
 
As to the allegations that ferrets were being dumped onto Lisa is in fact
an out and out lie, period, plain, and simple.  Carole has NEVER NEVER,
dumped a ferret on anyone.  She isn't that type of person.  It would be
against her morale fiber to do so.
 
I don't know if Lisa was given incorrect info or just was trying to raise
money for her own shelter but it was inexcusable to do so without first
contacting Carole and getting the story straight.  I question Lisa's
motives here very, very, much.  If any of you out there are looking for a
shelter to support, may I humbly suggest Ferret Rescue of Tidewater.  You
can reach Carole at [log in to unmask]  Her email addy says it all.
Carry on Carole.  AFTER All IT IS FOR THE FERRETS!!!
 
Fred Hurd
Reno, Nevada.
[Posted in FML issue 3690]