G.C.F.A ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NATION'S FIRST FREE STANDING FERRET SHELTER ****************************************************************************** THE GREATER CHICAGO FERRET ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN A GIANT STEP ON BEHALF OF HOMLESS, STRAY AND UNWANTED FERRET'S. ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1990, THE G.C.F.A. OPENED THE DOORS TO THE NATION'S FIRST FREE STANDING (NOT IN SOMEONE'S HOME) FERRET SHELTER! UNFORTUNATELY THIS MOVE COST MONEY-ALOT OF MONEY-BUT NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE AMOUNT. WE WILL NEED A MINIMUM OF $12,000 PER YEAR TO RUN THE NEW SHELTER AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE MAKING THIS URGENT APPEAL TO ALL FERRET OWNERS TO HELP US. WE ARE A NATIONAL FERRET SHELTER, RECEIVING OVER 1/3 OF OUR FERRETS FROM STATES OTHER THAN ILLINOIS. THUS, WE ARE MAKING THIS A NATIONAL APPEAL. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU COULD NO LONGER KEEP YOUR BELOVED PET? WHER WOULD YOU GO? WE HAVE NEVER TURNED AWAY ANY FERRET THAT HAS ARRIVED AT OUR DOORS-NO MATTER WHO BROUGHT IT OR WHERE IT CAME FROM. WE ARE ALSO ACTIVE IN HELPING FERRETS GET OUT OF "FERRET FREE" STATES AND HAVE MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO MICHIGAN TO RESUCE ENDANGERED PETS. IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS WE HAVE TAKEN IN, AND FOUND HOMES FOR, OVER 900FERRETS. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY FERRET SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO FIND A NEW HOME, OR IN CASE OF THE TERMINALLY ILL, SHOULD KNOW LOVE AND GENTLE HANDS UNTIL THEIR DAYS ARE OVER. WE WOULD HATE TO SEE OUR WORK COME TO AN END. PLEASE HELP US IN OUR CAUSE. ANY AMOUNT WILL BE APPRECIATED, BUT THE LARGER THE AMOUNT, THE MORE WE CAN DO. REMEMBER, WE ARE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND DO NOT RECIEVE ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDS TOWARD OUR WORK. YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE TO THE EXTENT ALLOWABLE BY LAW. PLEASE MAKE YOUR CHECKS PAYABLE TO: G.C.F.A. SHELTER FUND P.O. BOX 7093 WESTCHESTER, IL 60145-7093 PHONE 708-964-GCFA THIS WAS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM G.C.F.A. .......RANDY C. MARTEN [Posted in FML issue 1069]