dec 30ths fml had a letter from a shelter operator. in this letter she stated that she witnessed a shelter hosing down the cages to clean them. well i am the guilty party, i confess. what was not reported is that there were scrub brushes, buckets with disenfectant that vet clinics use, towels etc. i feel that the letter was malicous in stating the fact that maybe i was not a good shelter operator. well just for the record i am a very good shelter mom. i feel that the statment was very wrong and not really needed to be there, this was my first time reading the fml and what a shock to see that my shelter was being used as a "bad" example? i also do things with my shelter ferrets that maybe no other ferret shelter does, does that make the ther shelters bad, i think not. when i started my shelter i tried to contact the other shelter to maybe form a link to better help the ferrets, i got the cold shoulder, and was later told that she looked upon my shelter as competition, what?? this is not a contest to see who rescues more ferrets, i didnt contact her again. i felt that maybe i was stupid to try to help the ferret world with attitudes like that. i didn't quit the shelter business and now it is growing strong, i do rescues when needed in nev and cal. all the ferrets go to the vet and get checked, they are fed a quality food, get treats, clean water and large cages with all the extras, they also get plenty of love by myself and family members, and volenteers and friends. i don't think that running a shelter by youself is an easy task, i commend anyone that is the ferret or any animal rescue business. i feel that the poster wants us to think that only her shelter is good and the others lack, sorry don't think so. i also work 2 jobs, run the shelter, raise a kid, i am a single mom, should i tell you all my woes, no.. we all have personal problems, maybe even though our intentions are good some should leave the shelter business to those with the resourses to do so. i dont think i should be judged by anyone for what i do, i can tell you stories about another shelter and be mean and malicous but i won't, at 40 yrs of age i've outgrown that and have better things to do. do i sound bitter, yes, i'm tired of people who think that i don't deserve to be a shelter, i have the support of ferret owners, vets and the local ferret club and members. cant be that bad huh! well i could go on and on but i wont. all i have to say is if people wold try to get together on issues instead of trying to rip each othr apart things could get done alot better. i don't expect everyone to like me or what i do but people who live in glass shelters shouldn't throw stones. also just to inform the fellow ferret lovers the other shelter is not a shelter anymore, she turned over 3 ferrets to me awhile back stating she could no longer do the shelter due to personal problems, the club newsletter lists her as a shop not shelter, this is what i am very confused that she is stating herself as a shelter, all her ferrets are personal pets, the reason im telling this is that be careful where you send donations etc, check shelters out that you are not being fooled. again i apologize for the bitter way i sound but i also work very hard to save ferret lives and educate the public on ferret ownership, there are no trophies or best ferret shelter contests and sometimes not alot of praise and rewards from people in this business. please lets stick together and weed out the bad and support the good. good luck to all including my local ferret shelter/shop operator, please feel free to drop by and see what i do before reporting on my goings on. hugs and kisses to all my fuzzies here at the shelter and the ones that have crossed over to the rainbow bridge. for my friends sam and erich who just lost her ferret Sneezers to cancer this poem is for you in loving memory god saw he was getting tired and a cure was not be, so he put his arms around him and whispered "come with me" with tearful eyes you watched as he began to fade away. although you loved him dearly you could not make him stay. a golden heart stopped beating soft, strong paws to rest. god broke our hearts to prove to us he takes only the very best. best wishes and a happy and healthy new year to all, CJ 24 Carat Ferret Rescue and Shelter [Posted in FML issue 2543]