A resounding AMEN! was proclaimed by many many shelter moms and dads after reading Barb's plea for the shelters struggling to stay open during these very difficult times.... !! I too am worried about the future of our shelters and, by extension, the future lives of ferrets everywhere. As for our shelter, for at least today and tomorrow, we remain open and accepting the little ones weekly. Sometimes it seems the emails and phone messages asking for assistance never slows. And, now the cries for help are becoming increasingly more urgent in nature. And I worry about the ones I never hear about and never make it to my door...... Everything is being asked of shelters now - food for ferrets because their owners have been unemployed for months on end with no hope; immediate vet care for ferrets whose owners are at the brink of bankruptcy and the choice of rent or vet expense is being weighed; and, of course, the surrender of their beloved pets....no!...members of their family. I have spoken at length with owners who have tried for months and months to find a way to keep their precious "kids" only to find that they are left with only one choice - to give them up. One family was forced to give up their pets and tearfully demanding that I take the last few dollars they had to take care of their two elderly (6 and 8) ferret ladies...and after leaving my home, they left in their car with no real home to go to. Only a shelter of their own. This is an honest-to-god true story...and there were two kids involved.... Our shelter is supporting nearly 10 ferret owners with food, bedding, and treats (when there are treats available). Typical scenario: one head of the family is unemployed and either on some public assistance or unemployment benefits while the other works part-time or full-time and barely keeping a roof over their heads and some food on the table. This is to keep the ferrets in the home and out of our shelters - or worse. And the ages of the ferrets that are being surrendered, or abandoned, is aging. The ferrets are getting older and by the pairs and trios. What was once 2 or 3, maybe is now 6, 7, and 8. And in pairs and in trios - and more sometimes. And the vet costs are skyrocketing! Our shelter has never carried a vet balance this high before this year. But we are managing. The Craigslist and newspaper ads are increasing - either giving them away for free or at a very low cost - I worry about these kids as there are so many nefarious people out there who do not have good intentions for these ferrets. So I join Barb in her plea for help on behalf of all of the shelters.... if you can, please foster if you cannot adopt. Please pitch in and help a very exhausted shelter mom and dad to do whatever is needed - hand-feed ferrets that are ill, clean the numerous cages, love and cuddle the ferrets who do not understand why their owners have abandoned them-how about offering to transport some ferrets to and from the vet office for the shelter?! And the best idea Barb had - bring the shelter mom and/or dad lunch - something anything to brighten their day! Tell them to take a few hours off and you will take care of things for a while so that they can - oh, I don't know, see a movie or go to a restaurant and have a "real" dinner that does not come in a paper bag for once. Trust me! I know this from experience, days run into each other and the chores never end. Sometimes you wish you could leave and never come back. Only a fleeting thought from time to time - due to exhaustion I suspect. But it works for me! Even a hug or an "atta girl!" or "atta boy!" would do soo much for a soul with a heavy heavy burden to carry each day. And, if you are located where there are no shelters close by, then please donate to SOS! Any amount is appreciated and, if you can, sign up for the Buck of the Month Club! You get a cute card! They are the ferret shelters' "lifeline" and could make the difference between a shelter staying open to protect ferrets and closing because they could no longer financially support their cause. Thank you Barb for caring enough to wear your heart on your sleeves and I join you! Respectfully submitted, Maren Doshier Founder/President Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary Hernando, MS [Posted in FML 6494]