This was not the first carrier and box of ferret belongings that has been left at our doorstep. No, there have been others before....but not on Thanksgiving Day. It wasn't even the first note to the shelter or even one the first to make me cry.....but this note was different. People not in rescue ask me all the time why I do what I do.....I will allow the note to answer. "We are the Stephens Family and these 6 ferret children of ours are our treasures and we are entrusting them with you. We know you will keep them safe. I lost my once-secure position in mid-management of a large company in September of 2008 and have exhausted our savings account and I have now have run out of unemployment benefits. God have blessed us with three young children, Jacob-9, Mathew-8, and Kathryn-6. I have always worked hard and provided for my family but now we are having to apply for public assistance because I can no longer feed our children as there seems to be no hope of my finding work at this time. I have had part-time jobs and do what I can when the opportunity arises. We lost our home earlier this year and can no longer find suitable housing for our children and the small little ferret family we have left with you. We are having Thanksgiving Day supper with my friend's family because we don't have the money for our own. This is one of the most difficult decisions my wife and I have ever had to make and explaining to our children that we had to give up their pets was a heartbreaking experience which we will never get over. We have left you with their bedding and toys. We ran out of food on Tuesday and it was a choice between feeding our children and buying food for the ferrets. During the good times, we fed them Marshall's ferret food but as money got tighter and tighter, we began feeding them good cat food but we bought their last bag of Walmart kitten food two weeks ago. When we had money, we would feed them all kinds of treats but they have not had any treats in over 6 months. Please don't think unkindly of us as we did the best that we could for as long as we could and we wanted to keep them as they are part of our family. We know they are skinny and the two girls are sick, we know. We just didn't have any money to take them to a vet. You can blame me for their bad condition. I failed to take care of all of the members of my family. But I fear that if we keep them any longer, they will suffer. I found your shelter on the Internet, read all about your shelter, and my best friend offered to drive them across Arkansas to deliver them to you because we don't have the money for the gas to drive them to you ourselves. And, I am ashamed that I must do this to my children and to the ferret family we love so much. One day when I get back on my feet, I hope to find the courage to meet you and thank you for taking in our little ferret family and we will find a way to repay you for your kindness. Marc Stephens, Natalie Stephens, Jacob Stephens, Mathew Stephens, Kathryn Stephens and our ferret family. Winnie, 5 years old and balding Minnie, 5 years old and white Sara, 3 years old and brown Donnie, 3 years old and black Mitch, 2 years old and gray and white Edward, 2 years old and white with a black tip on the tail" Maren Doshier Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary Hernando, MS [Posted in FML 6534]