I've been following the recent discussions regarding overcrowded shelters and while I agree in principal with the idea of acting as a placement service for people who can no longer keep, or who no longer want their ferrets, I find that this idea conflicts with an existing shelters own needs to find homes for the ferrets under their care. To me a shelter and a placement service are not the same thing. Our society does not have a free standing shelter. Surrendered ferrets are fostered within our members homes. Its rare for any one foster home to have more than 6 ferrets in residence (including those owned by the member) so our fosters receive a lot of attention, exercise and love. Barring unforeseen circumstances surrenders remain in a single foster home until they are adopted. We have approx. 34 ferrets under our care at the moment. Problems we are facing are.. 1) We are running out of foster homes. 2) We recognize that our funding is limited and do not want to create a situation where we cannot financially support those ferrets under our care and 3) There don't seem to be enough people wanting to adopt. Because of items 1 & 2 we have made the decision not to accept any more surrenders but have agreed to maintain a waiting list where ferrets would be accepted on a case by case basis as space becomes available. 1) People calling in are advised that we will contact them as foster homes becomes available. Those that cannot wait are referred to other animal rescues groups or to the SPCA (much as that pains us) or we suggest that they try running an ad in the paper. We do not offer to find homes for their ferrets. 2) We are proud of the fact that, so far at least, we have been able to pay our way financially and have not had to make any ferret wait for medical treatment nor use credit with our vets. Our expenses are covered through membership fees, adoption fees, product sales, donations, and fundraisers. We know how precarious this statement is and how easily it can change which is one of the reasons why the decision to not accept any more surrenders was made. Having to say NO to any fuzzy in need is one of the hardest things we have had to do, yet do it we must. In order to remain a strong we have to recognize that we have limits too and can only do so much. The saying "Sacrifice the few to save the many" seems to fit, though its a statement I personally hate and have argued against many times! 3) Our primary focus at this time is to find homes for those ferrets under our care. Easier said then done! Despite advertising we receive few calls from people wanting to adopt and those that do call want babies or young single ferrets. The average surrender age in our society is between 2-5 years and the majority of the surrenders are bonded pairs. Pam's comments regarding placement services make sense to me as a separate entity or as an alternative to a fostering or permanent sheltering system, but how can you ask an existing shelter to overlook its own fosters and their need for permanent homes in favour of ferrets who are not within their system. Separate placement or referral agencies (similar to adoption agencies), dedicated exclusively to finding new homes for ferrets (shelter or otherwise), is a wonderful idea and would actually compliment the shelters by helping to reduce their burden. Most shelters are overworked as it is in simply caring for the ferrets they have and in trying to keep their heads above water financially. Finding homes for those ferrets is another full time job on top of that. Perhaps the shelters, in return for such a service, could pay a percentage of their adoption fees to these agencies. Barbara Gustafson Alberta Ferret Society President [Posted in FML issue 2786]