The Ferret Friends of Indian River County International (FFIRCI) Shelter is very proud to be one of the LIFE Ark Angel Shelters. Since 1991 we have taken in more than 140 ferrets and adopted out over 125 (3 shelter ferrets passed away, 1 is currently being fostered by a Vet, 1 is currently in Gainesville being treated for heartworm, 6 are permanent residents due to health problems, 4 are currently up for adoption). We have incoming forms for each child of fur (that's what we call all the residents here) who comes to the shelter. Each new child has a full physical within 24 hours of arrival at the shelter. As well as the full physical they receive Distemper and Rabies shots and a Heartworm test. Children over the age of 4 get and automatic CBC done. If an incoming child is Whole and passes his/her physical he/she will be neutered or spayed 14 days after intake (we wait so that the kid has a chance to adjust and is not over stressed). All kids have a very high protein diet of Wysong Feline Nuture (if a child comes in on another food we continue that food and gradually add the Wysong until he/she is totally on the Wysong - surprisingly we have never had a problem changing over to the Wysong). They get treats twice weekly. Litter boxs are changed daily. All children live in enormous cages (usually 2 but no more than 2 to a cage). All cage floors are covered with sheets. Each cage has a large litter box, food bowl, water bottle, hammock, hiddie sack, and toys. The cages with balconies have the wire balconies covered with pillow cages and the pillow cages are secured so they stay in place. All balconies also have hiddie sacks. All children receive either Linatone or Minetone. Also once a week the kids have some Petromalt (to prevent hair balls). All children have play periods of a minimum of 4 hours per day. All cage implements are changed twice weekly. When the Vero Beach Humane Society Director came to visit the shelter and look at our forms she decided to add some things to the VBHS forms. She also told me they were the stricts she had ever seen. In order to adopt from our shelter you must first complete our Adoption Questionnaire (this is sent to perspective Adopters). All perspective Adopters bring their filled out forms to the shelter with them for their first visit. Those wanting to adopt are shown the kids up for adoption and are allowed to play with the kids for at least 30 minutes. After the visit the perspective adopters are sent home and told to call back in 72 hours (this gives us a chance to contact their landlord, place of employment, Humane Society in their area, and law enforcement agencies and check the perspective adopters out - so to speak). Even when perspective adopters check out many are turned down Their is a clause in our questionnaire that really helps us to weed out people quickly it reads " Understand the FFIRCI Shelter personnel will call or visit your home (home visits are done once unless you request a follow-up visit) at least six times in the next year (if you are approved to adopt). We do this to help you and your pet in case you have questions or problems." On the initial visit after a ferret is adopted we are usually ask about Bathing and Grooming (even though we have given instructions on these procedures during the adoption - also the adoptive parent/s are given handouts on ferret care and health). It's gotten so that when we call the parents for a visit we ask if they would like a bathing and grooming demonstration. We have a lifetime return policy on all ferrets. We are a NO-KILL shelter. Our maximum capacity is 12 ferrets (except during Disaster response). We keep it at 12 as the shelter is in a doublewide mobile home and we are in Central Florida (prone to tornados and Hurricanes). Our average yearly Vet bill is a little over $2,000 (except by June of this year we had already exceeded $2,300) We are listed in the Project Breed Directory. We were inspected by Ann Davis of LIFE in March of 1992. Our Vice President is a licensed Wildlife Rehabilator and was an Animal Control Officer for over 12 years. We were Inspected by the VBHS in April of 1994 and they will be visiting again soon. Shelter Mother - Chere McCoy is the Founder/Director of Ferret Friends Disaster Response International. Shelter Dad is Larry Huston of Citrus Grove Aviation (the man who flew the supplies to Miami after Hurricane Andrew - he also flew 36 ferrets out) Chere McCoy is also on the Advisory board of NOHO (Network of Humane Organizations of Florida, INC). FFIRCI and FFDRI have had exhibit booth at the HSUS EXPO's 1992, 1993, 1994, and will be at the 1995 EXPO. Beg my pardon for the length of this missive but I think someone had questions on the qualifications of some of the Ark Angel Shelter. Actually I haven't put in near the stuff we do here but I don't want people to get upset because of the length of this missive. P.S. The people who run the shelter haven't been on vacation since the Shelter was started - who would we ever get to take care of the Children? Chere McCoy President Ferret Friends of Indian River County International [Moderator's note: I'm letting this stand since it describes a shelter operation which is coincidentally a LIFE shelter. Appropriate responses are which describe other operations or comment on this one. Responses which are not appropriate (and which will NOT be posted) are those which attempt to discredit any particular ferret organizations' shelters. So tell us about your own shelter, not how to operate someone else's. BIG] [Posted in FML issue 1251]