Dear Anon,
 
>Does anyone check out the rescuing shelters involved in ferret rescues
>before the ferrets are handed over to them ?  What about the AFA ? ...
>aren't they supposed to be involved to "Promote, Protect and Provide" ?
 
The AFA was originally contacted by the authorities about this rescue.
AFA Shelter Chair, Faith Hood (who runs Ferrets R #1 shelter in VA),
immediately started contacting ferret shelters to see who could help.
The ferret shelter community is a very tight-knit group, so please don't
worry that Faith would be letting these ferrets go to a shelter that
would be even remotely as bad as their situation was with Diana Bachman.
 
Rocky's Ferret Rescue certainly had the hardest job of everyone - these
ladies deserve a medal for what they had to endure to get those ferrets
out of that place.  Once the ferrets are evaluated and the test results
come back, the other shelters that Faith contacted will be helping out
with placement so that Rocky's isn't overwhelmed completely.
 
>what if the rescuer also has "problems"?  can what is qualified as
>"abuse" years ago be a warning of what might happen again or be a
>warning sign of yet more possible abuse in the future to "rescued"
>ferrets?  can we be sure the rescuing shelter has nice conditions all
>around and not a hidden past or a future to hide?  Are contributions
>really going to help the rescued ferrets only and not for personal gain?
>Can the AFA get involved to check out conditions and keep on top of
>these rescues or at least do a background check on shelters and people?
 
The AFA is not a policing organization.  However, it so happens that
since this happened in Maryland, all the shelters involved are known by
the AFA Shelter Chair (one of them happens to be her shelter), as well
as several AFA officers and members, so you can rest assured that these
shelters are not going to abuse these ferrets nor defraud anyone for
money.
 
If anyone truly has concerns about these shelters, I suggest visiting
them yourself to help out with this rescue and see what kind of shelters
they are running - I'm sure they could use the extra pair of hands :)  If
visiting isn't an option and you still have doubts about sending money
directly to the shelter - why not send it directly to the vet's who are
doing the vaccinations and surgeries (I'm sure that Rocky's will give you
the names and addresses)?  If you are still unsure, then why not send a
donation of bedding, food, etc.?  Every little bit will help.
 
I hope I've answered your questions!
 
Mary McCarty-Houser
Vice President, American Ferret Assn
www.ferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 4227]