We have all seen the help shelters need over the years. The large rescues and individual heart breaking cases have continued. We've witnesses personal crisis overtaking shelter operators also. Now we see many shelters closing. What I'm wondering is if pehaps home shelters are not possibly feasible for long term. Do not get me wrong, I have the absolute upmost respect for shelter operators. I am in awe of all they do, on a day to day basis, amid all the human neglect and ferret need they see time and time again. But can we really expect any shelter Mom or Dad to be able to continue to do it year after year. Ferrets seem to be increasing in popularity, which will increase the numbers given up also. At what point does it become overwhelming for every shelter? What I'm thinking is that it is too much for any home to support the emotional, physical, and monetary needs of running a shelter. Perhaps ferrets shelter needs should be met by the larger institutions. I agree that ferrets have more specific needs than cats and dogs. But I there are some shelters that care for them now, and do so well. Perhaps efforts (especially by ferret groups) can go to educating and training nationwide shelters to handle and care for ferrets. As such a largely popular domestic pet this would make sense for the funded shelters to take them in. While there are some smaller dog and cat shelters for which this may not work, the Humane Socities (HS) and the Society Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) throughout the country should be able to handle this training and educating throughout all their locations. There are still extreme cases where such a shelter couldn't care for an individually needy ferret. But perhaps the specials souls who run ferret shelters and currently try to take in all ferrets and rehome them could concentrate on just the especially needy ones. They could work in conjuction with the larger pet shelters as a foster system. Taking in just sick or abused ferrets that need special, individualized care. Any thoughts or experiences anyone would like to respond with? Is this something that can happen. Has it been tried? Is it in the works? Can there be a united ferret effort to make this happen? Risa [Posted in FML issue 5138]