With all that is said, just want to emphasize it just plain isn't fair to expect the shelter to do all the work without volunteers. In fact, you can worry if they don't allow as some of the worse rescues of shelters started where help was refused, they wouldn't allow people come and clean. Now for this to be of benefit, volunteers should free up the Mom to get caught up on the paperwork, wash bedding, clean food dishes water bottles, toys, inventory the medicine cabinet, respond to calls, and do other things. (it's not a break they get to put their feet up and relax). Volunteers are oh so needed and ever so often there is going to be an apple that spoils the basket (did I say that right). They need supervision. Lots of time I have the juvenile community service kids here, they are dropped off. Supervising them takes almost all the benefits away but after a visit or two, they know the routine and I can do my work while in or near the rooms they are working on. (I have 3 rooms set up). The only reason I continue to do it is because I think it does two things, gives me a little extra time, it helps those kids in trouble to suffer the consequences of their actions AND they learn about ferrets and care taking. Most of them are animal lovers, a few because I am convenient to where they live but most are animal lovers. In all fairness, although Kim's bashing was harsh, to run a shelter, you do need to develop a backbone to be able to say STOP. This is not just for volunteers but for expectant adoptors as well. First it's good to explain to the parents and child this is not the way and it hurts the ferrets. Then if they continue, just have a catch phrase you can say like THIS JUST ISN'T WORKING, lets postpone this to some other time or I don't think a ferret is the pet for you. You learn to bulk up to doing. I too, in my younger days, was afraid to "rock the boat", do something to hurt someone's feelings or make them mad. Now 18 years later of doing this, I have developed the backbone to say No or Stop or whatever it takes to protect the ferrets as they were placed in my care control and custody. I have had people come - and believe me it is hard to say after they have passed being qualified, had all their other animals vetted, apt management okayed them to have the ferrets - and their children were so unruly, I had to say I don't think a ferret is the pet for you because of such and such. I have had them agree, argue, beg and have been told I was forcing them to go to the petstore to get a ferret. My standard come back to is it doesn't matter where you get the ferret from, the care and treatment would be the same and you will have the same problems I just witnessed. Sheltering is not easy and not for the meek. No one needs to be criticized and bashed for not being able to do what a more experienced person would do. This is a list to help supported and teach and should it ever occur again, that shelter person should no longer be shocked and will be able to respond in such and such a manner. Even old timers like me learn new ways and techniques to make situations better. But I will be darn, as hard as I work, I will not have someone bash me for what I do - that only makes me cut myself off from such a source rather than turn to it for help. Not everyone is people persons and it's a technique in itself to learn constructive criticism vs out and out bashing. Hopefully enough has been said on this and both sides learned from it. Millie and the Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue www.txferretrescue.org [Posted in FML 6581]