Hi Everybody... I have a dilemma [definition found in Websters /Dictionary : any situation in which one must choose between unpleasant alternatives] and this post is the alternative I have chosen. First however, ... I want it clear.. this is not a flame, judgement on anyone, condemnation of anyone, accusation of anyone etc.etc.etc.... I do not intend to insult, offend, or antagonise any one... OK.. now that I have gotten that said.. perhaps it will head off any 'clarifications, misinterpretations, or personal affronts', I have an unpleasant topic to address and some help to plead for... Halloween is fast approaching... And with it will come a sharp increase in cult activity... and with that increase in activity [there is a 'High Holiday' with in the Satanic cult religion that is linked with cement to Halloween/or/ All Hallows Eve] .. so the various groups [common term is covens] will be holding 'services' filled with complex ritual and in far greater numbers than is normally predictable... What has all that got to do with fuzzys??? [this is the point to scroll past this post if you have no stomic for the evil of which humans are capable... I still don't handle it well and I have been dealing with it for years] These 'religious observances' involve animal sacrifice and all sorts of nastiness that falls just short of being deadly to the animals involved.. Of all the species used in these 'rites' fuzzys are in the minority.. cats are the first choice, then farm animals and only for the most important and elaborate of the 'services' are ferrets the central attraction.. We all know the ferret is a domestic pet that is sweet tempered and fun loving.. but the cults lean heavily on the propaganda that tells of viciousness, aggressive attack behaviour, unpredictability, fiendish cleverness, destructiveness, and their famous 'baby eating' obsessions... as such they are considered 'of like mind and spirit' with the cultists.. Now before the 'knee jerk' reaction of 'You have to be kidding'.. or 'What a lot of garbage, no body does that stuff'.. or 'That's just movie fantasy stuff'.. or any number of other denials derails reality, I will give you one small item of fact that will clearly demonstrate just how serious this problem is.. A very quiet memo was passed around to all animal shelters a number of years ago.. it was to inform all shelters of a ruling made by the decision making upper executive staff of the animal regulation/shelter agency. This ruling had the force of law and is still in place today.. It was short and simple, but when one looked into the reason for its existence in the first place, the numbers and history involved were pretty scary reading... The 'order' to all shelters was.. 'No one, for any reason, may adopt a black cat from any animal regulation/control facility after Sept. 30 nor before Nov. 5'. 'No Exceptions!' [I paraphrase the legalese but the substance is accurate] Copies of this short memo were sent to all public and private shelters as well with an added note requesting they also refuse any such adoptions.. This memo was the tip of a very explosive ice berg.. and due to the reasons behind its being issued in the first place, very few media vehicles made any mention of it at all.. for once the requests of the 'authorities' for restraint were heeded by the media... Sooo... The problem had grown to such size that the agency finally had to take 'official notice' and issue a 'written order' in an effort to , at least, curb one area of cult 'celebration'... there are other regs. on various books and there are numerous references at any library that refer to these 'religious practices', the number of registered [and for every one registered the estimate is 5 not registered] Satanists, and all the other factors involved here... so anyone willing to do their homework and that has a very strong stomic can easily validate the problem I am addressing here... So what's this got to do with our fuzzys and the fml and so on???? A good many years ago I was approached by a group of local citizens from the area in which I lived.. they knew of me and my activities on behalf of animals. They asked me to join them in the performance of an unpleasant duty. Explaining that the day after Halloween they all met at a local nature preserve to 'clean up' the mess left by Halloween Revellers.. they asked if I would be willing to join their efforts that Halloween [two days in the future] in restoring the park to a state that would allow it to reopen to the public.... Oh, I forgot to mention.. these parks are closed and chained up for this little 'holiday', but anyone willing to pack in a few miles over rough terrain can still get in.. and they do.. every year!! Altho I had been a victim of cult abuse as a child, I had no idea what I was getting involved in.. I lasted just over 45 minutes that year before I fled weeping and violently sick to my stomic.. The next year I managed to stay nearly 2 hrs. Now I get thru the whole morning and only fall apart after I get back home to my beloved babies... I am not addressing any other species here but ferrets.. and the 'mercy killing' that is always required is not addressed here either... I do not have part in either of those areas of this activity.. they are handled by those who can and do take responsibility for them... I am dealing here with the ferrets my poor talents have a chance of helping.. I have the people ready, willing and able to take them after I get them stable.. I have the 'silence' of the other members of the 'restoration crew', I have Doc and Bruce [at least for this one more year].. and I have my own commitment and personal resources... So what's all this got to do with all of you??? What I don't have is enough of many 'things' I have to have in abundance, to take care of the little ones we have every reason to expect will be needing us this year.. Each year the numbers increase.. and with the ever larger numbers of people who are becoming aware of my small efforts [for which I am very grateful to the fml, the [CIS] Animals Forum/ferrets section, the local vets, the religious community out here, and the park ranger service] the number of needy fuzzys has grown.. After integrating a couple dozen factors we use to judge 'planned activity' for this Holiday everyone involved concurs that we are looking at another big jump in numbers... My dilemma was whether to just 'do what I can' or 'plead for assistance' from people in the ferret community... Last year, even with contributions from members of the acting community, among others, I still had over $1,900.00 in personal commitments that took all my savings and 6 months of repaying loans from friends.... this year with the increased shelter traffic I have little reserve to draw on.. Sooo.. I am here, hat in hand, to beg for help!! I simply cannot do this alone ... anything from medical supplies, to ferret specific supplies, to blankets, [etc.] I would be profoundly grateful for... Lastly, any 'spare change' you might have would be wonderful to provide for the unexpected and the ongoing care expenses I cover with the people who will be taking on the long term care and adoption responsibilities... A local address is available for any contributions of materials or funds you may wish to make: 26502 Golden Valley Rd. #110-339 Saugus, Calif. 91350.. I cannot tell you how hard this post has been for me to write.. How many times I started and then deleted it it unsent.. but you have taught me a very valuable lesson here.. that there is a great body of good and decent people in this world who care as much as I do for a very precious fur child.. the ferret! thank you, so very much, for your consideration... dayna and the Woozles [please don't think no one is doing anything to stop all this every year... we are doing anything and everything we can short of criminal mayhem... but in spite of our best efforts the carnage continues....] "Resident of... Marvelous Menagerie Of Mirthful Mayhem" dayna frazier 102046,3162 13-Oct-1996 18:38:18 PST [Posted in FML issue 1721]