All have brought up some very good points and asked some very good questions, so I will try to answer each one here. This whole thing is not something that was taken on lightly, or wily nillly. The thing that was a mistake I made was thinking the Builder actually understood the city codes and was dealing with an architect that KNEW shelter design. I should have INSISTED on talking to him. But the people who are willing to fund 3/4 of the project wanted to deal with it, and who am I to disagree. I gave the builder my "general" ideas. That is another can of worms I am dealing with. Basic design of the building: One quarantine room, with it's own ac/heating, water, storage ect. There is where all incoming would be, surgery kids recovering and sick kids. The room is big enough to have a total a 12 cages, more if a pinch happens, but cages up so the floor is open for toys and play times. It would have it's own entrance. There would be three general population rooms, again with it's own water, cabinetry. Again the cages would allow the entire floor to be utilized for play and romping. The fourth room would be a grooming/boarding room, which in a pinch can be used for general population. There is a storage/laundry room, and the front area of the building would have a retail store in it, and a work area behind the counter that would serve as the office. Each room would have video and audio monitoring. There would be a hallway and each room would have a large plexi glass window in the hallway to look into, as well as the door, Oh yeah and a General purpose room for working on projects, meetings, a what have you room, but may have to be deleted. Not sure yet. All of the animal rooms would have outer walls that would consist of glass block. At least 1/2 of the wall, to allow natural lighting. The "windows" looking into the hall would allow the light to spread through most of the hall, the hallway where it connects with the retail area would have a door in place. No one would be allowed back with the animals without someone with them. Tours can be given with out the ferrets in the shelter being stressed out, for education and show and tell we have a group of educational ferrets that are used for hospice visits, nursing home, boy scout, school, and public programs. They would be the ones everyone could hold and pet. It is my belief that being in a shelter is stressful enough for the shelter kids, they don't need the added stress. Adoptions will be with people who have approved adoption applications on file, ones that have been check out. No adoption app, no ferret. No one will be allowed in the areas where the kids are without an application, and if they want to meet kids just to see what they are like, there is the educational group. How would we staff it? Volunteers. In fact in it's own facility it opens opportunity for some of the "special ed" program volunteers, halfway groups, the local vet tech program requires a mandatory volunteer hours. Many of these programs do not like the idea of a home based shelter, but public building, well, then that makes you a real shelter. I would be there all the time, no different than here other than the fact I won't be telling people to get out of my bedroom. Even when the door is closed, people go in there and "look" around. Not to mention my one volunteer, whom I love dearly and appreciate more than she can ever know, loves to "rearrange" things to where it makes sense to her. There is no place in this house I can go where it is my personal space, nor can my husband someplace where it is just me and MY ferrets and mink. And that includes the bathroom too, people don't knock on closed doors, now there is a lock. sigh. (you can use your imagination there) Ferrets who need 24/7 care come home at night. There still will be a room here for kids who need care over night. Which probably will benefit them more. They would get more one on one time in the process. In case of a power outage, there is a gas powered generator to keep the shelter's electricity for needed items running. In case of fire, there is a sprinkler system, all public buildings need to have them. What would happen if there is a fire during the night? They would have a better chance at survival there. City codes require fire retardant materials. What would happen if there is a fire here when I am at the vets? This house is 102 years old, and wood. If I am here and it burns, some ferrets will be saved, but I can promise you that there will be an obit about the nut who died trying to save all the animals. How would we fund it? Grants, donations, boarding, the retail store which, by the way, will carry more than just ferret items. Gift items for the non ferret, and items by local artist on consignment, along with consignment items from the ferret community at large. Being tax exempt we would not have to pay real estate taxes (a little know thing in Cuyahoga County). Electric, gas and water: Being more energy efficient, it would probably be less to deal with than here. Keeping the kids cool tops out our electric bill close to $300, don't even want to look at the gas. Water actually is reasonable in Cuyahoga County. Insurance isn't as bad as you think. Being a business and in a business sitting (let's face it, shelters are a business, non profit yes, but must be run like a business to work) The shelter would be put in the same category as other animal shelters. And after talking to a few agents and an attorney to draft hold harmless agreements, and required signs that would be posted, it becomes very reasonable. I have been talking to a couple of foundations that write grants to help with subsidizing medical costs for individuals that go to a shelter's vet for needed surgeries, a sliding rule type of thing. But we have to be independent of the "home" style shelter, and establish ourselves in "their eyes" as a shelter. The potential for reasonable needed surgery for individuals that may be down on their luck, but have a huge heart? Or better yet, what about the possibility of offering a rabies clinic or distemper clinic, or an ADV clinic for $15, which would include a health examine? My vet is willing to do it, that could get more vets involved, and he is good at educating them too. It can't be done here, and the owner of the clinic he works at says we can't do it there, but he'll let him use clinic time to do it. Yes this whole thing does set a precedent, one of the reasons that I have been trying to get media attention, interviews and the such. It is a precedent, ferrets are a viable companion animal. They deserve to be treated better than they are. If this can come from a home based shelter, than shouldn't they be considered just as viable as a dog or cat shelter? Elephant shelters on private property get more respect than ferret shelter, and funding too. Just an example. There are already promises of used office furniture, a commercial washer and dryer, 3/4 of the caging in storage, a stove, a commercial meat grinder, blender. The whole problem now is even with changes, deletions, finding used cabinets, doing all of the painting my self, and anything that I can, or get used, because of the city requirement of a concrete parking area and drive around, it goes over budget by $26,163.28. They are willing to do half of it. But I have been fundraising my butt off locally, and it isn't working. Again, it is the perception that ferrets are not good pets and wild. (Some one accused me of domesticating them, well if I am THAT old, then I earned my aches' and pains! LOL!) I made a general appeal to the ferret community in Ferrets Magazine. I mainly post on the shelter's website and ask for help there. Occasionally I will post eBays on other ferret sites and boards. I do not want to come off and spam people like it has been done in the past, or try to shove this idea down anyone's neck. I do post and ask for volunteers or ideas that one person can put on that would appeal to more than just the ferret community. I try to give back, even if it is just a box of goodies for an SOS raffle. If it isn't something like that, it is done behind the scenes with the understanding no one knows, or it is anonymously. I am eternally grateful to all of the shelter's volunteers and everyone who has donated. Oh yeah, anyone in Ohio that thought of doing a Casino Night, contact me. I learned all the regs from the Attny General Office. Cheapest rental of the equipment is $3500, that doesn't include any food or drinks either. I think I went off tangent. Sorry this is so long, but I hope I answered some questions, probably made a few of you think of a few more, so ask away. Jean Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter www.ferretsunlimited.org Non profit No Kill P.S. The total square footage would be about 900 to 1000 sq feet. forgot the dimensions on the entire building, will try to find them. Jean [Posted in FML issue 5339]