I'd like to respond to the anon poster who asked why a shelter might say no. While this question was directed to a case of a ferret and a kill shelter, I'd like to address the broader point of view. I'd like to do it anonymously because frankly I don't currently have the wherewithal to take the heat of a flaming. We are a small shelter. After several more than 15 years of continuous sheltering I am still trying to learn the adage "you can't save them all". Horrible things happen every day, things you can not and should not accept responsibility for. Things you can have absolutely no impact on what so ever. A loved one killed in a car crash, struck by lightening or some horrid disease. You can't stop it, you shouldn't claim the blame, but your heart breaks and guilty ensues anyway. On to the ferrets. Many years ago we worked with a VERY large ferret shelter, helping out as needed but mostly providing medical care to the sickest of the sick. There were approximately 100 ferrets in this shelter at all times and that didn't count the fosters. This shelter took in all comers, no questions asked. Even with the (limited) amount of volunteers who helped out, there was no way to keep track of all those ferrets. One day the poor shelter Mom found one who'd died curled up in its bedding ....... about 3 days previously. She thought the poor baby had just been sleeping. (yes, I see your faces stuck in horror. I was furious.) Months before I'd had a gentler revelation that one would cast in stone. I had my few shelterees and a few of theirs as well. My numbers in house were in the low 20s as I walked past the ferret sick room. I had a little girl up on a table (in her cage of course) next to the doorway. The doors to any room ferrets have access to here are always open so I can look in as I walk by, more so for a sick room. As I walked by this time I glanced down at my sickest patient. I took 3 more steps before what I'd seen sunk it. She was on the verge of a crash. It hadn't happened yet, but it suddenly struck me, like a baseball bat upside the head, that I had almost missed it. Why? Because having to care for 20 some odd sick ferrets was more than I could do. At those numbers I was going to start missing things. I would be too tired, too busy, too stretched, too you pick the adjective, to pick up on those subtle little symptoms that can mean the difference between life and death. Right there, right then I realized I had limits, and trust me it was like a thunderclap at point blank range. But I knew in my heart I could NOT be responsible for the death of a single ferret, and here is the kicker, IN MY CARE because I didn't have time. That evolved further as I saw shelters and individuals take on animals, not just ferrets, they could neither feed nor care for let alone provide medically for. It was a hard learned lesson and one I still rail against. But here is my truth: I would have and save and love and comfort every single ferret, even yours, if I could - but I can't. There's not enough money, there's not enough time, there's not enough of me. So the ones I do take will have what they need to the very best of my ability. They will get the medical care they should have, not just need. They will get part of my time every day. They will get the best foods I can find for them. They will get potty boxes scooped every day, more if needed, and water changed at least twice a day. Bowls and beds will get washed and disinfected. Every single one will get play time out of a cage every single day. The ferrets in my care are MY responsibility. I took them in, I said yes. I have to look into their eyes every day and into the mirror every night and know I did every thing that could be done for them; especially when I am returning one to Mother Earth. I know, unquestionably and without a doubt if I didn't say no, I'm sorry I can't take them, that I would not be able to properly care for the ones I do have. The ones in my care are MY responsibility, the ones who belong to someone else are not. My heart may break for them, but they are NOT my responsibility until they come through that door. To mitigate those guilt feelings a small amount, we do a huge amount of public education. We maintain a referral system to other shelters who might have room. We keep a list of folks wanting to take in unwanted ferrets as opposed to buying them. We try to match folks up; those who want to give up their ferrets with those who are looking. No its not perfect. In my perfect world no pet would be euthanized because it doesn't have a home. No pet would ever be neglected let alone abused. But while I can try to help where and as I can to alleviate all of those atrocities, I am not responsible for them, I neither create nor commit them and because I limit the numbers I take in to the numbers I can care for I won't either. And THAT, at least in part, is why a shelter might have to say no. [WP] [Posted in FML 6615]