Unfortunately, I may have to add to the list of closing shelters.
Currently, we have 83 ferrets total in our shelter system.  I have 61
in house and 22 in foster homes.  The vast majority of these kids are
elders, ill and/or biters (which are very hard to place).  I am really
struggling with the possibility of closing, I just cannot mentally or
physically handle anymore ferrets here, and my foster moms are just plain
burnt out.  Here is what makes it the hardest, the three shelters that I
refer ferrets to are full.  They are also overwhelmed.  What are we to
do?  I have received 6 emails in the past 4 days from people wanting to
surrender their ferrets.  What do I tell them?  We all know, that when
people decide that they no longer want to care for their charges, they
tend to neglect them, or will hand them off to anyone, not caring whether
or not the faithful little furball that you have kept for 5 freaking
years gets the care, love and respect that it deserves.  I am having a
hard time sleeping at night knowing that I have to turn them away and
they could end up God knows where suffering.  It is so painful to my
heart.
 
I understand that the economy is tough, yes it is, we are struggling
right now our selves just to keep up with our bills.  My husband is our
main provider, I stay at home and care for the human and furkids, with
having so many, how could I work and care for them too?  In addition to
paying our bills, I am spending, OUT OF POCKET $100.00 A WEEK for food,
$45.00 a week for litter and then there are the vet bills and meds.
Ferretone and treats are sparse here now as we rely on wonderful people
to donate them when they can afford to do so.  It downright STINKS!!
My heart is breaking.
 
I see my local petstore selling these creatures like hot cakes to every
and anyone that has the buck and I want to cry.  They wont even let us
educate these people prior to purchasing these "things".  And to the
majority of these people, these kind, loving and loyal kids are only
things, playthings.
 
Do you know what I wish?  I wish they would stop selling these wonderful
animals.  I wish they would ban the petstores from selling them and only
allow REPUTABLE breeders to sell them.  I cannot imagine my life without
them, however, I would rather live without them myself than see so many
in the shelter system and so many getting neglected and abused and die
before they make it to the shelters.  I never thought that such a small
animal could have such a large impact on my heart, and folks, my heart
is breaking.
 
Where am I going with this?  I am reaching out, not just for my shelter,
but for all of the shelters.  If you haven't already opened your heart
and home to needy kids, PLEASE DO.  PLEASE HELP US.  If you can't open
your home, please DONATE DONATE DONATE!!  Just one bag of food, litter
or even $10.00 to a vet.  Send us some ferretone or treats.  We don't
ask for much, believe me, a little goes a long way.  Ask any shelter
mom, she will tell you the same thing.  Aren't these furkids worth it?
 
A very distraught shelter mom,
Lora Blaisdell
Michigan Ferret Rescue
www.miferretrescue.org
[Posted in FML issue 5317]