[3-part post combined. BIG] For what it is worth, I to, have received numerous letters of support. I also am one of the shelters listed with the SOS and have even met a couple of the SOS members. I have donated personally to the SOS in our Shelter's name on many occasions. I give $1.00 each month, when I can or with the card exchanges. I could easily go to the SOS and put in a formal request for money to pay off the $900 bill I incurred in April at Horsham vet clinic due to two emergency surgeries, however, I choose to try to raise the money myself, via my ebay auctions, rather then take money from the SOS which could in fact go to the bigger shelters. SOS volunteered to give me money also for the Kit who had a broken leg, again, I talked to Judy extensively on the phone, and told her, if I am able to raise the money, by myself, that is better. I personally would rather the money go to people with hardships such as Jean. I don't like Donations because of people not knowing where their money is going, I would rather them purchase something and still help the shelter. That is WHY I do the ebay auctions. Ms. Reed: Because I advertise my auctions on ebay, I try to raise funds myself, be ambitious............I am a bad person??? Because I am a shelter, I must give up all my worldly goods to be one??? One of which is our 15 year old boat we saved 13 years to get?? Because I am a shelter, I must not own personal ferrets??? Because I am a shelter, I must maintain and advertise more then 9 ferrets on my web page??? Because I am a shelter, I and my family are expected to be give up everything, spend all our extra money caring for ferrets and even eventually become bankrupt?? To Be Continued............. Ms. Reed..........Do you shelter??? Do you know what is costs to keep one ferret, for one year, who has adrenal and insulinoma??? Let me give you the breakdown as calculated by a friend of mine, who yes, also shelters and knows. $450.00 (surgery to remove the adrenal gland, insulinoma tumors) Her figure was higher due, my vet was cheaper. $360 (pred for $30/mo X 12) $328.50 ($.90 per day for food) $20.00 ADV Testing (2 x per year) $25.00 Shots (1 time/year) $109.50 (heating and cooling) $73.00 ($.20/day for rinsing and filling one water bottle) $156.43 ($.42 per day with daily cleaning of litter pan) $75.00 (average cost of bedding is $15 per piece and last year used about 5 pieces per cage for the year - constant wear and tear) $35.00 (for soap for bedding and cleaning ferret) $200.00 ( for additional supplies such as litter scoops, pooper scooper, poop disposal items, vaccines, etc. for one ferret) _____________ $1832.43 for the year Healthy Ferrets oh about $1022.43. So even if I only have 9 ferrets on average ( which you claimed in your email to everyone) at one given time that is another $8179.44. So roughly 10,000 operating costs per/year which means I have to make an additional $800/month. Now, lets include the two ferret I got in which both had hairball obstructions........one surgery was $200, the other surgery was $400. I have ferrets on AD canned food at $25/month. Sure sheltering is cheap if you get all healthy ferrets. But reality is you don't. You get ones who no one wants, who end up staying with you for the rest of their lives. Who are sick, have been in deplorable conditions and it takes it's toll. That, my dear adds up. A couple more questions Ms Reed: 1.) Have you ever met me??? Would you know me if you met me on the street??? 2.) Have you been to my shelter?? 3.) Do you know which ferrets and how many I have in my shelter currently?? 4.) Do you know which ones require medications and which ones don't. 5.) How do you know how much I make on ebay. Do you realize I sell my magnets 2 for $1.00 and in order to run my shelter for 1 year, that would require me selling 10,000 magnets?? Not counting Ebay Fees. That is a lot of work! Just because their photos are not listed, does not mean I don't have the ferrets........some ferrets are not listed because they need to be neutered/spayed first. A priority that comes after the sick ones. Some ferrets are never listed because I have a person lined up for them already. Some have severe health issues and are not even adoptable, so why advertise them. We have a tab with both vets for past ferrets, so please check out our adopted ferret page also.. Mind you those who were adopted also required some type of care. I think I rehomed pretty many ferrets in less then one year of Sheltering for being such a small shelter. Also my personal ferrets are made up of alot of rescues who came to me. Those ferrets, in my opinion would not do well with ANOTHER change in their lives, or being bounced to another home. Those ferrets are Bosco (who now has adrenal) and Bailey, Dominic and Draco, and Java (who is a bitter) and Mocha. All these ferrets are ones who I took on personally and financially for their best interest. Maybe instead of making comments you can't back up Ms. Reed, you should talk to people who have met me, who know me and what I do, and have been to my shelter. Please feel free to call both our vets, they know all the ferrets I have and who is being treated for what. If I were doing something shady, believe you me, I would be smart enough not to put my entire life on the internet web page. If you don't want to buy from me or my auctions.......Please Don't. Yes, do give to a bigger shelter, because I, of all people should know, they need it more then I do. But please do not discount the smaller shelters. It is not in the best interest of Sheltering. Ms Rauenzahn from TinyPrints Ferret Rescue Who's Doors are Always Open for Inspection........... Please call to make an appointment 610-562-4189. GO LITTLE SHELTERS GO! TinyPrints Shih Tzu and Rescue TinyPrints Ferret Rescue http://www.tinyprintsferrets.com http://www.tinyprints-shihtzu.com TinyPrints Ferret Rescue Ebay Store http://www.stores.ebay.com/tinyprintsferretrescuestore http://half.ebay.com/shops/shops.jsp?seller_id=1093064 TinyPrints Shih Tzu and Rescue TinyPrints Ferret Rescue http://www.tinyprintsferrets.com http://www.tinyprints-shihtzu.com TinyPrints Ferret Rescue Ebay Store http://www.stores.ebay.com/tinyprintsferretrescuestore http://half.ebay.com/shops/shops.jsp?seller_id=1093064 [Posted in FML issue 4518]