Some of us are willing to take in the old and sick. In these situations, it makes sense for the shelters to reduce or waive the adoption fee as those ferrets will need medical care that we will be paying for ourselves. Perhaps instead of an adoption fee, the people could volunteer cleaning cages, loving ferrets, etc for the shelter for several hours. It would probably cost about $7 an hour to pay someone to do these tasks so if one were to work the equivalent time for the shelter as the reduced adoption rate for the oldsters then everyone wins. The ferrets get the extra love and attention, the shelter gets more tasks done in less time, the volunteer gets to do something really helpful and meaningful AND gets a new family member, and the oldsters(s) get a new family and home. Please do not separate oldster pairs or groups as ferrets bond very closely and separating bonded ferrets could be deadly. It's a win/win situation for all. For each ferret that gets a home, there is another cage open, less work for the shelter operators, less supplies/food expense, less medical expense, etc. It's important for shelter operators to look at the entire picture and not the loss of an adoption fee. They actually gain so much more! Of course there is the issue of making sure the volunteers are responsible and loving, and not another Morrison of the ferret world. Ask for references from those potential homes (vets, friends, associates), make home visit or have other volunteers do so for the shelter. The priority here are the ferrets. Come on people, let's make this happen!!!! hugs. tle Troy Lynn Eckart, F.B.S. Ferret Family Services http://www.ferretfamilyservices.org http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our efforts http://www.iGive.com/FFS [Posted in FML issue 3883]