From Ferret Friends of Indian River County Ferret Shelter. Well, all those comments, explanations, etc., etc., were very interesting to me. How we use shelter funds - ALL to the VET! I've run this shelter since 1991. and with a few exceptions everything we have taken in has gone to veterinary care. Larry and I provide Litter and food. Really nice people come help take care of the kids on Saturdays. Many people have donated blankies, hammocks water bottles etc. With the exception of the aftermath's of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne all the money we have taken in has gone to the vet. After the Hurricane's so many people were so kind and we did spend quite a lot of money to get ferret food & ferret meds and to order things for the ferrets because lots of their stuff was destroyed. Anyway I thought I would put in my two cents worth. To tell the truth I think it is up to the shelter Mom's and Dad's where they use the money. I don't know of a single shelter Mom or dad that hasn't spent THOUSANDS! of their own money for the shelter. To date between Larry and I we have spend over $110,000 since 1991 - that does not include the vet who gives us a running total each year. At the end of 2003 (total spent at vet from Feb 1991 till December 2003) we had spent just a little over $200,000 (and we are not a hugh shelter). Our biggest vet year was 1992-1993 when we spend a tad over $35,000 (we had a lot of disaster kids come in that year). The lowest year was 2003 where the bill was only $2,895. Also, something for others to keep in mind. A lot of shelter mom's and dad's can't take vacations together because someone has to stay with the shelter kids. Just thought I would ad my two cents. Thank you for supporting our shelter Chere McCoy Ferret Friends of Indian River County 8775 20th Street, Lot 614 Vero Beach, FL 32966-3065 A "NO KILL" shelter since January 1991 [Posted in FML issue 4846]