Well, as usual I did receive plenty of responses from my FERRET ABANDONMENT DISORDER article. Many were just what I had asked for, "feedback from other shelters about similarities" and I got some wonderful and helpful ideas and comparison of notes. YES with a big *^$()#*)( Y...E...S... I whole heartedly agree there are too many problems, allowing the reasons for this situation to become a problem. Your advice is gratefully and respectfully accepted. NOW FOR THE OTHERS, the people, who even after I said "DO NOT waste my or your time justifying your existence or reason for doing what you did." but these individuals who are the reason we have this problem, felt it was in their best interest to write to me and try to justify the reason behind dumping their ferrets, dogs, cats, etc.... Sorry, but I don't care. This may hurt a few feelings, but again, I DON'T CARE. I only want to know how to help the situation at hand. I am not paid $200 an hour to listen to you justify discarding a living creature that you paid someone else to take from its mother. If you want sympathy about some horrible thing that you have done, go to the local Walmart, find the card section, look under sympathy, and pick on that makes you feel right about what you did. Don't waste my time or the time of other RESPONSIBLE FERRET AND PET OWNERS OUT THERE. ESPECIALLY someone who is operating a Ferret or Animal Rescue. We have force feedings to do, medicine to give, litter to change, vet bills to pay, food to buy, phone calls to answer, potential Ferret owners to screen so we don't have to see this poor unfortunate ABANDONED FERRET back in our or another shelter. So for my fellow shelter operators and RESPONSIBLE FERRET OWNERS out there, at 3:00 today (Memorial Day) the country was asked to observe a moment of silence for all the fallen veterans who have died for their country. As a former U.S. Marine, who served his country for 10 years during peace and war, I did. But now I would like to take a moment to thank you. There was once another shelter operating here in the Salt Lake Valley, but last year she left and I miss this lady so. I have never met her, but we have shared conversations on the telephone about sheltering Ferrets. With her absence, I feel the extra burden and can understand how you all must feel. So I salute you and detest those who decided to waste my time. Rick United Ferret Organization 10584 S. 700 E #310 (New Address) Sandy, Utah 84070 (801) 572-6010 [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 3067]