Hello Ferret Friends, HELP!!! We are swamped and need help! As dump-offs continue day in and day out with no end in sight, the work load has substantially increased. No one wants to turn away a ferret in need and I can't tell you how many times owners threaten to let their ferrets go free in the woods, or just dump it off at the local animal shelter (where one of the rescues has to go pick it up anyway, regardless of full status) and you just can't say no, or the people that don't want their five and six year olds anymore (these do not stand a very good chance at being adopted either and usually become permanent shelter residents and in addition many are sick), or the "I'm going to have a baby and I must get rid of my ferrets" people. The excuses are the same - over and over again. So I'm putting out this heart felt plea to anybody in the Columbia, Maryland vicinity that has a few extra hours - PLEASE -- WE NEED YOU!!! We are in need of volunteers at the Ferret Inn shelter in Columbia, Maryland. Shelter cleaning day is on Saturdays and we need people to help clean cages and floors. Even getting people to come in and play with the ferrets and do ears and nails while we're cleaning cages is great. The Ferret Inn is owned and operated by Nancy Wilson in her home. All the ferrets get individual attention every day and get plenty of play time, in addition to the cleaning, feeding and med schedules - so Nancy is pretty busy and can't always dedicate enough time for the extra things like website work, posting new adoptables on her site and Petfinder and even answering emails - so we can really use volunteers that can do some of these administrative things too. Anyone in the area that has a few spare hours and can come and give us a hand, email me privately and I'll set something up. Please help us help all these ferrets that truly do deserve the best. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts (ferrets included!). Lisa Volunteer Coordinator [Posted in FML issue 4903]