I originally submitted this post late last week, but BIG found a teensy part that might have been misidentified as a reference to a recently "killed debate". I would've resubmitted it sooner, but I'm fighting with my home pc and couldn't dial into my work e-mail to do this. So here it is........slightly edited and late as usual. I really appreciated Barb Clay's post in which she simplistically described Rocky's as it is today compared to its beginning days. As Director of Animals for Awareness, an educational facility devoted to wild and exotic animals, I could also relate to her story. It is a rare thing for a shelter to start up with state-of-the-art facilities, cages, equipment and STAFF (paid or unpaid). Additionally, most shelters lack the resources to handle the huge inpouring of animals once word gets out that they're there. That being the case, shelters (new and old) are often faced with decisions they'd rather not make. First and foremost comes the well-being of the shelter animals themselves. As difficult as it may be, shelters may need to turn away animals, even if only temporarily. The new cages that were being eyed for purchase may have to be shelved until more time can be put into fundraising for the cages. That time is eaten up maintaining the current critters and cages. It can be a vicious, tail-chasing circle. Things do not look so wonderful, but the animals are hopefully cared-for and safe. When you're finally able to surface for air, you might get lucky and find time to solicit donations or fundraise. If you're REALLY lucky, someone likes what you're doing and steps up to the plate to make a gift of the cages. My point is that ferret shelters come and go rather quickly. Luck has only a little to do with the "survival" of a shelter. Some of the success comes from efficiently juggling priorities and successfully balancing tasks. But I believe one of the key elements of shelter survival is continued improvement. That can mean a lot of things, both tangible and intangible. I've had the very good fortune of visiting Rocky's and meeting Barb Clay. What I saw there was a group of wonderful people who were not only friendly, but also deeply devoted to the ferrets in their care. The building I visited was small, but quaint. It was clean and organized. The cages were adequate for temporary shelter housing. All cages had clean bedding, as well as hammocks. Food and water were also present in every cage. And the ferrets looked great! Now, I don't know what Rocky's consisted of before, but there was a recent mention that years ago Rocky's ferret cages and trays were in poor shape. They were supposedly not only eyesores, but also difficult to clean, so not-too-fresh. If this description of Rocky's start-up era is accurate, then I say KUDOS to Barb and Rocky's for being one of the few that are able to survive and evolve in the right direction! Many shelters remain stagnant until they quietly dissolve. Or worse, others deteriorate to the point that the desperation is so evident they're forced to close (mass surrender) or their shelter animals are removed (mass rescue). If I needed to refer someone to a ferret shelter in that area, I wouldn't hesitate to speak highly of Rocky's. Barb was kind enough to invite me to Ferretstock a couple of years ago. Having JUST had a baby, I really needed the time away. It was a lot of fun!! I missed the last one, but I'm already looking forward to the next one. I admire Barb and her faithful volunteers. I think they truly love what they do, and it shows. I started Animals for Awareness as a result of some horrible things I saw at a well-respected dog/cat shelter. I started it in my lil condo. When we moved, I had a growing cougar cub and had just placed an abandoned bear cub. My hopes and dreams were way bigger than my resources and abilities at that time (still are, actually). I started to write about our huge transformation and continuing growth, but it was getting too complicated and long-winded, so I trashed it. I will say that where Animals for Awareness is today compared to 10 years ago is astonishing. People who met us at the start of it and who see us today are amazed. Where we are today versus 6 months ago is also pretty impressive. Our project list is 3 pages long (taped to a fridge), but we are always working on something, whether it be new fencing or erecting walk-in cages to replace our portable 3-story cages. We are always improving, sometimes quickly, sometimes slooooowly. And there is always room for improvement. Admittedly, we're in need of great improvement in some areas. BUT, the animals are happy. They're healthy. They're well-fed and receive proper vet care. Could you find a metal litter pan in there that has the beginning of a hole eroded through it? Probably. It doesn't take long. But we have brand new ones waiting in the wing. I think there's a huge difference between a chronic condition and transformational condition. I just tornadoed through my crawl space and tossed out dozens of cages that were either too small and or partly rusted. These were our old cages for some of the critters! It was a reminder of how much and how often we've grown over the years. It made me really grateful inside. This type of lifestyle is a struggle on a daily basis. I'm very fortunate that I've been able to "maneuver" in a way that's allowed for us to evolve. When judging a shelter, don't just look at where it is TODAY. Look at where it's been and look for signs of where it's going. I'm not condoning unsanitary or neglectful conditions. But you can possibly make positive something you view in a negative light. If you approach a situation correctly, you can frequently find out why something is the way it is. Knowing that will help you to suggest a change for the better. I hate to spew out a variation of this stupid cliche but...... Be a part of the solution instead of part of the problem. In terms of Rocky's and Barb (from my limited view), they frequently seem to be a part of the solution. They can use less problems and they can use some help and support. Kim Schilling - also a Pooflinger <gasp> I wish someone had told me you guys were so bad before I went through my initiation! ;-) OMG, does that mean I'm a bad person too? And I didn't even DO anything!! Sheesh. [Posted in FML issue 4286]