Good Morning, Raisins is a small, in-home rescue and shelter and my ferrets are in my home. Joe and I have modest two-story house and the ferrets, along with my older pet cats and chinchilla, all occupy about 1,200 sq. feet. Yes, its cozy to say the least. We hope to soon move into a bigger home with more property and either build a couple of small buildings or, if we are lucky, buy an existing property with a couple of buildings already built onto the property. More importantly, move out of a once-was small town but now growing-up into a suburb and further down I-55 into a more rural area about 15 miles south where we can expand and where the town officials will leave us alone. But for today and tomorrow, we remain a small, in-home operation. Today, I am a full-time paralegal and I have some health concerns but I take it one day at a time knowing that my boss will be retiring either next year or the year after that which will allow me to secure another job where I can work 30 hours a week (I hope) and still be able to keep the doors to the shelter open and take care of my ferrets in shelter and in foster care. My health concerns will be addressed as time goes along but I really don't focus on that issue too much as most of the day-to-day can be abated with medications and therapy. Today and tomorrow, we do not have any volunteers so it is just the two of us as it is most of the time. We do have volunteers off and on and we appreciate them for as long as they are with us. Our church members help us when they can and during emergencies they are wonderful. The shelter currently has (gulp) 50 in shelter today. And I am the primary care-giver and Joe does all of the supportive work that allows my energy and time to focus solely on their care. Not to mention the dozens out in foster care - either in military foster or in our regular program. Each and every ferrets is well loved and cared for....they want for nothing except their own "forever home." Each and every cage is clean, well maintained, and has fresh food and water available. Joe and I work opposite shifts so there is someone at home at all times, pretty much. On the weekends, I rarely leave the house .... and I am not unhappy about this as it was my decision a long time ago knowing that this commitment and responsibility would demand a sacrifice on my own personal life. I lived it up when I was younger, traveled, partied ... all that stuff and got it all out of my system, I guess. Having said all of that, my answer ..... is and always will be a resounding, "yes!" to any municipal or kill shelters who have ferrets and ask our shelter to take them. We always have and always will because that is what Raisins is -- a rescue and a shelter ... and I do not take that identification lightly. If one calls today we will not hesitate to take the ferret(s). Even with the numbers we currently have in shelter today, that call will be answered in the affirmative and someone will be picking up that ferret(s) before the end of the business day...without exception. We are committed to that promise and we keep our promises....for at least today, tomorrow, and next week, and next month, ferrets that end up in those horrible places will be taken in by this shelter as long as I have breath. I must wholeheartedly concur with Marlene on all points with the exception of one thing ... I will not be available to those who disagree with me because, as you can see, I am way too busy working and taking care of my shelter commitment to be concerned about responding to flamers or anyone else for that matter. Besides, I completely support all of my brothers and sisters in rescue and would not criticize anyone who travels that road with me .... even if I disagreed with the manner in which their operation was run. I would offer suggestions if asked and help when needed. And that, my friends, is how I can look at the vast numbers of cages in our home and turn off the lights in the wee hours of the mornings and say, I did my best .... and that is how I sleep at night ..... knowing that there are no ferrets languishing in municipal or kill shelters within my reach .... knowing that I did not abandon them like their owners did. Never, not on my watch.... Maren Doshier Founder/President Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary Hernando, MS [Posted in FML 6618]