Forgive me, Alicia :) I meant "animal shelters". I forget that on the FML shelter can be read as one of a ferret shelter or 'people run', not government run. I meant to indicate state run animal shelters, government-run animal shelters (such as Ingham County Animal Control/Animal Shelter). I know, I did run a rescue when I was in Michigan - I ate cheap cereal while they got their surgeries, foods, etc....and when in a crunch SOS helped with two surgeries since I asked, and they were done at a discount due to the SOS. I paid for everything else myself during the years I did it, including lymphoma treatment (Tufts protocol/chemo).... several growth removals each year, etc..... I didn't charge adoption fees but I did home checks....and just made sure they had everything they needed instead, a few people (maybe 2?) donated once. Other than that people would often buy carriers from me since they never knew where to find them (Soldans!). But I didn't make money from them. Zoo took on two ferrets that were terminal and I could not help when I moved, I had them for a long time before that and they just did not get any better, to and from the vets (who thought I was crazy to bring in ferrets almost every day). I still have to donate to Zoo for that.... (to Zoo, I am sorry.....it will be on it's way soon, I know I've said that before). Anyway - yeah, I messed up. :P I didn't mean ferret shelters or personal shelters - which I call "rescues"...but I see that a lot of people consider any place that houses animals a shelter. I am sorry to spread confusion! Also - I definitely understand your dismay - I had a vet manager tell everyone there that I got paid to rescue ferrets and that it was my full time job, which one of the receptionists told me after being confused by my words - she was confused because I said I had to get back to school - she's like, "Isn't this your job?" to which I was like, "what???" and she said, that's what she was told...) Laryssa [Posted in FML 5889]