>Regarding Zoo`s policy on adoption--we have discussed this, many times >before, on other boards. Zoo`s does not adopt out. We stand by our >mission statement.We provide a permanent safe haven for abused, >abandoned, mistreated, elderly, and unwanted ferrets. This is so sad to me. I have never understood how someone can think that an animal can get the attention it needs and craves by being one of 40 or 50 or more. I understand the need to be very careful with "special needs" animals but to totally close your mind to adoption is doing a disservice to them, IMO. Anyone who thinks that no one else can provide what they can is being unfair to the animals in their charge. Many of us have the capabilities to care for animals with special needs. I am not a shelter. I take in strays, abandoned, etc. ferrets. I have seen them come in flea-infested, mite infested, malnourished, scared to death, and in definite need of medical attention. With just a day or two of special attention, I have seen them blossom into happy ferrets, following me all over the house like a puppy. Because I don't have "too many" ferrets, I can give them a lot of individual attention. With just a little more time, they are healthy. I don't have any special powers. If I can do it, others can too. Why not give the little one a chance to be in a home where they can get more attention? Why not place them where they can get immediate medical attention, not be put on a waiting list? Most ferrets I get have an unknown history. I have no idea whether they have been abused or neglected, though I can form an opinion about it based on their behavior. I could post dramatic stories about their past. In the end, what matters most is their future. To each his own. And, lest anyone think this is some sort of personal attack, take a look in the archives. I've posted about this very same issue before. I have always questioned why so many ferrets are labeled as "unadoptable". Some of the more successful shelters will tell you that there is no such thing as an unadoptable ferret. It just requires a little more work to make the right match. Katharine [Posted in FML issue 4033]