Jack Sprat would eat no fat. His wife would eat no lean. And so, between the two of them they kept the platter clean. People can have different interests and yet have the end result be a "clean platter". One example has been presented here recently: Group A: wants to know different ways that people handle Shelter Shock (very recently called also FAD which is a very cute acronym but not as specific a term) to reduce the numbers of deaths. The result could be to save the lives of ferrets. Group B: wants to try to learn the various excuses/reasons given when ferrets are surrendered and get a feel for how common each is to try to improve general education and reduce casual purchases that should not be made (reducing shelters' burdens if successful). The result could be to save the lives of ferrets. And so, between the two of them .... the results could be to save the lives of ferrets. Instead we are seeing a pile of complaining and very little acceptance that there are others who can use the discards (in either fashion) to save ferrets. Let's stop the whining and carping, and just skip over what each doesn't want to read, and learn from what each does want to read. Please, DO post ways you have found to reduce shelter shock deaths to help Group A save ferrets. Please, DO post what is said to cause ferrets to be left with you so that such information may be used to perhaps reduce casual purchases to help Group B save ferrets. Please, DO skip over the posts which don't interest you and let others learn from them. Please, DO read them all when you have both time and curiousity, a love of learning. Please, accept that the interests of others may differ from your's. Please, reread messages and remember that perhaps a person is rushed or under a lot of pressure and might not word things as well as could be hoped; the rereading will let you look for alternative interpretations before you reply angrily. Please, remember that those with little time simply don't have the minutes to spare for extraneous information -- it robs time from ferrets -- so post either, but send Group A the Shelter Shock help info, and send Group B the info of what is said in relation to surrenders, and not visa-versa or both in private mails. Please, remember that any group the size of a town will have a few individuals (who may be using multiple names) who try to pick fights or cause fights because they get their jollies from hurting others. This group has actually been studied by professionals in the field; they tend to usually (but not always) be college boys (not men) who are markedly immature for their ages and socially isolated as a result -- borderline people who sometimes form on-net packs that cause competative damage and try to out-do each other. Please, remember that the fighting about all the side issues here isn't going to save even one ferret, but the information requested by Groups A and B could possibly save many. Thank you to the people who HAVE looked past the arguments and gotten down to the helpful information. [Posted in FML issue 3075]